


A Week With Gracie

by PerditionRaiser



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: M/M, mcdanno
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-03-28 01:15:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13893153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerditionRaiser/pseuds/PerditionRaiser
Summary: Danny is still living with Steve and Rachel and Stan have to leave for the mainland so Grace is staying with them for the week. Danny's feelings for Steve are hard to hide and Steve couldn't be more happy with his current living situation. Grace helps her Uncle Steve see that his feelings are a little more then platonic for her Danno.





	1. Saturday

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first McDanno fic that I originally posted on Fanfiction.net, and my first story on AO3. I write a lot of Destiel too and will probably be posting some more of my stories on here that are also on Fanfiction.net. Hope you like it!  
> This is based in season 2 when Danny is staying at Steve's.

The apartment that Danny was planning on moving into fell through, again. The landlord decided that renting it to his nephew from the mainland was more important and pulled out of their deal two days before Danny was planning on signing the lease.

So now Danny was currently staring at the ceiling in Steve’s living room from his place on the couch, donning the noise cancelling headphones his partner had so thoughtfully bought for him. It was probably around two in the morning. He wasn’t sure if it was his insomnia that was making it hard to fall asleep or the idea that Steve was in the room above him most likely shirtless in a big cozy bed without him.

It was probably both.

He’d never been picky, man or woman, if you were good looking he wasn’t gonna pass up a good time and he wasn’t blind, first time he saw Steve he was impressed with his looks. The guy was like a rugged Abercrombie model for Christ’s sake, but he’d never really thought of Steve in a romantic light, at least not towards the beginning of their friendship.

Danny knew the exact moment that he realized his feelings for Steve were more then platonic. It was a little less then a year ago when Danny had contracted serine from a hobo that had drank some seriously fucked up milk. He’d almost died and woke up in a hospital bed feeling like he’d been hit by a train.

He’d opened his eyes to Steve leading Gracie into the hospital room, her little hand clutched in his partner’s big one. Steve was smiling down at the little girl like she was an angel—and let’s face it she totally is an angel, have you seen her?—and kissed the top of her head as she released his hand to give her Danno a hug.

It fucking melted his damn heart.

Not only did Steve remember that Danny had Grace that weekend, but he went out of his way to pick her up from school himself and take care of her until Danny was allowed to have visitors. Sure, Danny knew that all of five-0 was fond of his daughter, but seeing Steve look at her with so much love in his eyes twisted Danny’s heart into a knot.

Since that day he couldn’t help but think about how nice it would if the three of them were together all the time, and that was it, that thought did it. It broke a dam in Danny’s mind and bucket loads of conflicting romantic feelings flooded into him and he’d been dealing with it ever since.

Now, here he was, a year later, sleeping on the couch of the man he was secretly in love with because there was no way in hell he would let the truth come out. Not when it could seriously damage the best friendship he’d ever had.

Someone came up behind Danny and ripped the noise cancelling headphones off his head. Danny jumped into a sitting position, yelling and then squinting up into Steve McGarrett’s grumpy face.

“Heyyy! What the hell is the matter with you, huh? It’s 2 in the fucking morning!”

Steve scowled and threw something at him. It hit him in the chest. Looking down, Danny picked up his cellphone.

“Yes Daniel, it is two in the fucking morning. And your phone has been ringing for twenty minutes and you haven’t picked it up, so I had to get out of bed where I was sleeping soundly and give it to you.”

“Oh,” Danny tried not to smile, “Sorry Steven, these noise canceling headphones work uh, work really well.”

“Yeah,” Steve grumbled, “No shit.”

Picking up his cellphone Danny looked at the screen. He had four missed calls from Rachel.

“Rachel’s called me four times,” shit, Danny stood from the couch and began pacing, redialing his ex’s number.

“Danny I’m sure everything’s okay,” Steve said, his demeanor immediately changed, worry and sympathy softened his features.

“ _Danny, finally. I’m sorry if I woke you._ ”

Rachel’s soft British accent wafted into Danny’s ears.

“Rachel, it’s fine. Is everything okay?”

“ _Yes, well sort of. Stan’s mother passed away tonight, I wanted to call and see if you could take Grace for the week. We’ve got to fly to the mainland to help with the arrangements.”_

Danny couldn’t hide the relief that flooded through him despite the bad news. Grace was okay and that’s all that mattered.

“Of course, yeah no problem. Shit, give Stan my condolences.”

_“Thank you Danny, can you come get her in the morning, around 8? Our flight is at 9_.”

Right, Danny thought, tomorrow was Saturday, Gracie didn’t have school.

“Yeah, I’ll be there.”

“ _Thank you, goodnight Danny. See you in the morning_.”

 

Danny hung up the phone and sat back down on the couch, running a hand through his bed head he looked up to see Steve raising an eyebrow at him.

“Everything cool?”

Danny nodded, “Yeah uh, Step Stan’s ma passed away. They’ve gotta head to the mainland to help with the arrangements and stuff. I’ve got Gracie for the next week, which is, yah know, perfect. I haven’t had her for this long in ages.”

Before Steve could say anything, a light bulb went off in Danny’s brain, “Shit, Steve, I can get a motel room or something, don’t worry about it—”

Steve cut him off, “Will you shut up? You are not renting another shitty motel room. I said you could stay here until you found a new place, didn’t I?”

“Well yeah,” Danny rubbed the back of his neck.

“Okay then. I knew what I was offering. Plus, I love Gracie, you know that. Wouldn’t you rather her stay here than in a crap motel?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Steve smiled down at him, the sleepiness hadn’t quite left his features and Danny thought it was adorable.

“She can stay in Mary’s old room. I’ll set it up tomorrow alright? And the offer is still open Danny, you can crash in my old room, you don’t have to stay on the couch.”

Danny waved a hand at him, “I like the couch better then your little twin bed, it’s fine.”

Steve shrugged and made his way towards the stairs to go back to sleep, “Hey Steve?”

“Yeah?” he asked, turning just a little.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, Danno.”

Danny couldn’t help but smile, he loved it when Steve called him Danno.

-x-

**Saturday** :

Danny cracked an eye open the next morning and groaned. He knew it was early, he could tell. Rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands he squinted at the clock on Steve’s cable box; 6:45 am. Fifteen whole glorious minutes before his alarm was set to go off. Groaning he pushed himself off the couch and trudged into the kitchen.

The cool floor felt good on his bare feet. Out on the lanai there was a towel and a bottle of water and SuperSEAL was cutting through the water like a damn killer whale or something. Fucking Steve and his morning swim at fucking 6 in the morning.

Rolling his eyes and pushing the admiration and longing he felt for the SEAL back down his throat, Danny made his way to the shower. Danny’s duffle was in Steve’s childhood bedroom so that he didn’t leave his entire wardrobe all over his friends living room. After showering and changing into some jeans and a t-shirt he made his way back down the stairs.

There was a sticky note on the coffee pot and he recognized Steve’s precise handwriting; Danno, made a pot for you. Went to the store for some stuff. I’ll see you when you get home with Gracie.

Grinning because he honestly couldn’t stop himself from doing so, he filled a mug with the coffee and grabbed some cream from the fridge before popping some toast in the toaster. It was hard not to notice how comfortable he’d grown moving around in McGarrett’s home. They’d established a good rhythm over the past two weeks and he was trying not to get to attached to it.

Danny got to Rachel and Stan’s a little before 8. He didn’t even need to get out of the car, Rachel ushered Grace out to him and gave her a kiss before Grace hopped into the passenger seat. Danny nodded to Stan who was standing in the drive way and said goodbye to Rachel.

He frowned a little because when he looked next to him Grace’s face was squished into a little pout.

“Hey Monkey, you okay? Is this about your Step-Grandma?”

Grace shook her head.

“No? Then what’s the matter, babe?”

Grace looked down at her lap and fiddled with her little fingers, “I love being with you Danno, sometimes more than Mommy, but I don’t like where you live.”

Danny’s heart squeezed inside his chest, he hated his situation. Hated hindering the time he was spending with his daughter because he couldn’t find somewhere proper to live. Luckily, he had the best friend in the entire world, and was currently staying with him.

“Well Monkey, you’re in luck because I got kicked out of that place. They had black mold everywhere.”

Grace scrunched her nose, “Black mold? Where are we staying now? The Hilton?” she asked hopefully.

Danny shook his head, “Even better. Danno’s been staying with Uncle Steve, he said you can stay in his sister Mary’s old bedroom. How does that sound?”

The absolute glee that crossed his daughters face was almost as wonderful as the happy giggle that escaped her.

“Really?! Can I swim in the morning? Can Uncle Steve take me surfing? Will you look for shells with me?”

The questions poured out of her and he chuckled, “Whoa, whoa, slow down Monkey. Yes, we can do all of those things as long as we’re on our best behavior okay? Uncle Steve is doing a really nice thing letting us stay with him.”

“Are we staying for the whole week? Are you moving in with Uncle Steve?”

Gracie’s second question surprised Danny.

“No sweetie, Danno’s not moving in with Uncle Steve, he’s just letting me stay with him until I can find a new place to stay.”

“Oh, okay.” Danny thought he heard a small hint of disappointment in his daughter’s voice.

Steve’s truck was parked in the driveway when they got back. Grace sprinted into the house when Danny opened the front door.

“Uncle Steve!” she called.

Steve popped his head around the corner from the kitchen into the living room. He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

“Danno, did you hear something?”

 

Danny shrugged, “I didn’t hear anything.”

Grace tried to look frustrated but couldn’t keep the smile off her face, “Hell-ooo! Uncle Steve I’m right here!”

She waved her hands wildly in front him and Danny laughed.

“Oh, man, how silly of me. I didn’t see you Gracie you’re so tiny!” Steve grinned and kneeled to open his arms for one of Gracie’s magical hugs.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, for letting me and Danno stay with you!” she shouted into his chest and squeezed him tight.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I want my two favorite people here for a whole week?”

Butterflies erupted in Danny’s gut and he hoped the flush on his cheeks wasn’t too obvious.

“I am going to hold you told that statement Steven,” Danny grinned and picked up Grace’s bags, “Come on Monkey, let’s bring your stuff upstairs.”

Steve grabbed the backpack Grace had been wearing and led the Williams’ up the stairs and around the corner.

Danny’s breath caught in his throat, Mary’s room no longer looked like Mary’s room. Steve had hung curtains that looked like giant ocean waves and spread a comforter that had whales and dolphins on it over starfish bed sheets. Hung on the empty wall across from the doorway were big blue sparkly letters that read ‘Gracie’s Room’.

“Steve…” Danny breathed, he couldn’t even get a thought out he was so overwhelmed with love for the man standing next to him. It was taking all of Danny’s self-control to not pull Steve into a crushing hug.

“Uncle Steve I love it!!!” she shreaked, squeezing Steve around the waist as tightly as she could.

“I’m glad,” Steve said, placing a hand on the back of Grace’s head and wrapping an arm around her.

“Do you like it Danno?” Grace asked, still attached to Steve like a tiny octopus.

Shaking some of the shock from his body, Danny smiled down at his daughter, “Of course I do Monkey! Uncle Steve did a really good job didn’t he?”

“Maybe he’s not a Neanderthal like you said?” Grace asked, and Danny couldn’t stop the chuckle that escaped his throat.

Steve looked at him with mock offense, waiting for his partner to answer the question.

“Nope he’s still a Neanderthal, but he’s a pretty good Uncle too.”

Steve beamed at him. That smile was like the sun and Danny would do anything to bring it out of him. Lord knows that man needed to smile more, have a little more happiness in his life. He wanted to be the one to give that happiness to Steve, and if this was how to do it then so be it.

-x-

Grace asked to go swimming about twenty minutes after they’d got her things all settled. It wasn’t even ten in the morning yet and it was a Saturday. Despite Danny’s aversion to sand he couldn’t think of a better way to spend the day. He’d always favored Steve’s back yard to public beaches anyways, it was quieter, and nothing could distract him from watching Grace splash around in the surf.

Danny had played with Grace in the ocean for a couple hours, her big brown eyes that mirrored her mother’s could convince him to do just about anything. Steve brought some sandwiches out around noon and when Danny came back out to the lanai after bringing their scraps inside he found his daughter and Steve asleep in the hammock.

Grace was curled up against Steve’s side, his long lean arms were gently wrapped around her small frame, and her little face was tucked inside of the crook between Steve’s shoulder and neck.

Pulling out his phone he snapped a couple photos, he couldn’t not. He hadn’t seen anything so adorable and precious since Grace was born, it was overwhelming. Deciding not to wake them he went back inside to grab the book he’d been reading and a cup of coffee. Setting up in one of the lawn chairs on the lanai he enjoyed the cool breeze and cracked open Huck Finn. He’d read it before, but it was one of his favorites and he hadn’t read in a while.

Most people weren’t aware of Danny’s affinity for a good book. He was particularly well read; how else would his rather loud rants contain the vocabulary that they did? He was about five chapters in when Grace woke up.

“Danno?” her little voice cut into his focus and he slid a bookmark into his spot before standing.

“Hey monkey, you have a nice nap?”

Steve was still asleep. Gracie nodded, “Can you help me get up? Uncle Steve’s arms are too heavy for me to lift.”

Danny chuckled, trying to pry Steve’s arms open without waking him so Grace could climb out of the hammock. As Gracie slid out of his partner’s embrace Steve stirred and furrowed his eyebrows, humming comfortably but not opening his eyes.

“He’s kinda cute when he’s asleep, huh Danno?”

His daughter was smiling fondly at her uncle and Danny agreed, “Yeah, I guess he is. But shh, don’t tell him I said that, can’t have this animal thinking I’m going soft.”

Grace nodded and let out a quiet giggle before leaning to kiss her Uncle Steve on the forehead, “I’m gonna go take a shower Danno.”

Danny nodded, telling her where everything was in the bathroom and how to work the nozzles in the shower before she skipped inside. He sat back down in his chair and opened his book. Huck Finn was trying to scrape together some money so Pap wouldn’t beat the shit out of him when Danny heard Steve grumble.

“Danno? Where’s Gracie?” Steve sat up in the hammock, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands.

“She woke up a couple minutes ago, went inside to take a shower. You two napped pretty hard.”

Danny watched as Steve stumbled out of the hammock and stretched to his full height, like a cat unfurling to its full length. He’d always thought there was something a little feline about McGarrett.

Steve walked over to Danny, still barefoot and shirtless. Sand was stuck to his muscled chest and shoulders, “What time is it? How long did we sleep?”

Danny took a quick look at his cell, “It’s almost four. You slept for like three hours, which means that monkey in there is gonna be up late tonight but tomorrow’s Sunday so it’s alright.”

“Wow,” Steve rubbed a hand down his face, “I haven’t napped like that in…geez ever,” he felt Steve peak over his shoulder, “What’re you reading?”

Shrugging, Danny held the book up for Steve to see the cover, “Huck Finn. It’s a classic, and one of my favorites.”

“I didn’t know you could read,” Steve joked and then chuckled when Danny glared up at him.

“I am well read, for your information,” Danny said waving his hands—one of them containing the book—about, “You, on the other hand, are a Neanderthal.”

They made there way inside. They could hear the shower still going. Danny tossed his book on the coffee table and went back to the kitchen for some more coffee. He knew he drank too much of it, but it was like liquid heaven in his mouth and the hot mug warmed his hands, sending heat from his fingers, down his arms, and into his chest. It was comforting.

Steve had pulled an apple from the fridge and bit into it, the loud crunch drew Danny’s attention towards his partner and Steve grinned with his mouth full of fruit.

“Thank you,” Danny said, sipping from his mug.

“For what?” Steve asked leaning against the counter.

Danny shrugged, “For letting me stay here with Grace, for giving her a cool ocean themed bedroom, for spending time with us, the whole shebang.”

It was Steve’s turn to shrug, “I love having you guys here, you know that. You’re Ohana Danno.”

Danny tried to hide his blush behind his coffee mug and continued to smile, “It means a lot, Steve. Gracie, she adores you. She kissed your forehead while you were napping earlier, you know.”

Steve’s eyebrows hit his hairline and it was his turn to blush, but he couldn’t hide it with a mug, all he was holding was an apple core, “Really?”

“Yeah really, don’t sound so surprised, and wipe that stupid grin off your face before if gets stuck that way,” Danny chuckled.

“I’m glad,” Steve said, tossing the core into the trash can, “I love Gracie a lot, but nothing beats the way she looks at you Danno.”

“Yeah?”

He felt like sunlight had just flooded his body. He never got tired of hearing how much his daughter loved him.

“Yeah,” Steve turned from the trashcan and took a step closed to Danny so that they were facing each other, barely a foot apart, “She looks at you like you’re the sun, Danno. I can’t blame her.”

Did he really just hear what he thought he heard?

“Steve—,”

“Danno?” they heard Grace call from upstairs.

Danny was staring up at Steve who was still smiling softly down at him, “Down here Monkey!”

He finally tore his gaze away from Steve’s gentle one when he heard Grace’s footsteps come into the kitchen. She immediately went to her father, wrapping her arms around his waist and smiling up at him, and then up at Steve.

“You should really shower Uncle Steve, you’re covered in sand.”

“I am?” Steve asked in mock surprise, “I didn’t even realize.”

“Of course you didn’t,” Danny grumbled, squeezing Grace into his side, “You’re a animal, the sand doesn’t bother you.”

“Be nice, Danno,” Grace giggled up at dad.

“Yeah Danno,” Steve teased and headed towards the bathroom.

“Shut up, Steven, and hurry up,” Danny said shooing him away, “I need to shower too. Gotta get this wretched ocean water smell off of me.”

Grace and Steve rolled their eyes at him and Danny was 100% sure she had picked that mannerism up from the Navy SEAL.

-x-

Danny took Grace grocery shopping while Steve was in the shower, so they could get some stuff—they needed to teach Uncle Steve the right way to eat after all.  
When they got home, Grace decided she wanted to watch Lilo and Stitch (her favorite movie of all time) so they set up a blanket fort and ordered pizza for dinner, much to Steve’s chagrin. The only way they got him to agree was if Danny ate a slice of ham and pineapple, which he promptly complained about in his usual loud and obnoxious manner.

Finally, after he’d read Grace a chapter in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and put her to bed, was Danny able to hop in the shower and wash the events of the day from his skin.

His hair and skin were stiff with dried ocean water and he was pretty sure he’d had sand in parts unknown for much too long.

It wasn’t that Danny disliked the ocean, well, it was, but not for the reason you’d think. The ocean reminded him of Steve McGarrett. It could be eerily calm one moment and outrageously fierce and dangerous the next, and it was god damn beautiful. Steve rubbed at Danny the way the waves rubbed at the shore; back and forth, back and forth, wearing away parts of him until there was only soft sand and sea shells left.

So, he scrubbed it away. Scrubbed the ocean water from his body because he didn’t need another reminded of how he felt for Steve, there was already a plethora of them that he couldn’t get rid of.

He finally stepped out of the shower when the water started running cold. Wrapping a towel around his waist he exited the living room. Steve was sitting on the couch and the tv was on but his partner seemed distracted, his eyes weren’t quite focused on the screen in front of him.

Danny leaving the bathroom brought him out of this reverie and he looked over at him.

“I can uh, get up, so you can go to bed.”

Danny shook his head, “Don’t worry about it, it’s only half past nine. I’ll be back down in a second, grab me a beer?”

Steve nodded, and Danny disappeared up the stairs. Shedding his towel once he was in Steve’s old room he pulled on some boxers and sweat pants and an old Newark PD t-shirt before heading back down stairs. An open longboard was sitting on the coffee table for him and Steve was drinking another.

Danny smiled at him as he sat down. He remembered what Steve had said earlier. It wasn’t anything detrimental to their relationship, it was just so…honest. He wasn’t always sure how the SEAL felt about him and it was rare for him to voice his feelings at all.

“I meant what I said earlier, you know.”

Danny’s gaze shifted from the tv to Steve.

“I feel like I should say thanks, but it doesn’t sound right.”

Steve shrugged, “You don’t have to say anything. I just thought you should know that I uh, I see you that way too. Like Gracie. Like you’re amazing, because you are. I feel like you probably don’t hear it enough or think its true. But it is.”

Danny squeezed the neck of his beer between his fingers and cleared his throat. He wasn’t sure what to do so he reached out with his other hand and grabbed Steve’s, intertwining their fingers. It wasn’t a romantic gesture really, more a caring one.

“Right back atchya, SuperSEAL,” he said quietly, “You are—” Danny let out a breath, “You’re important to me, and to Grace. Honestly, you’re down right incredible because despite the fact that you are the most insane human being I have ever met in my entire life, and despite the fact that you have a death wish and an innate ability to drive me fucking bonkers, you’re also unbelievably kind and loving and having you in my life has been a damn blessing.”

Steve squeezed his hand, “Thanks Danno.”

“You’re welcome, Steve.”


	2. Sunday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace and Kono help Steve figure things out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all like this chapter!! I know you might've thought it would take Steve a little longer to figure out his feelings BUT i have a plan. Slow burns are the best. Enjoy, Liz.

Sunlight peaked in through the bedroom window and cut across the bedroom, it striped across his chest and into his eyes, but he was already awake. His internal clock had been set to 6:00 am sharp for as long as he could remember.

He didn’t mind though, he’d always loved Sunday mornings.

The past two Sundays had been better than average because Danny was staying with him, and this time Gracie was there too. Unlike Steve they were probably still asleep, so he decided to go back to sleep too. It wasn’t often that he took a day off from his every day swim and run. His mind slipped back into unconsciousness rather quickly.

-x-

“Uncle Steveeeeee, Uncle Steve wake up.”

He cracked an eye open and slowly his bedroom ceiling came into focus. Looking to his alarm clock the time said 8:30 am, he’d slept another two and a half hours.

Rubbing his eyes with the backs of his hands he grumbled, “Huh?”

Grace Williams was smiling at him, sitting on his bed in one of her Dad’s Newark PD t-shirts and some pajama pants that had fish on them.

“Come on Uncle Steve, Danno’s making breakfast!”

Steve sat up and leaned on the headboard, “He is?” Grace nodded, “Okay give me a second, alright Gracie?”

He climbed out of bed and grabbed his sweat pants on the way to the bathroom. When he walked back into his bedroom Grace was still sitting on his bed. The little girl was chewing on her lip and looking at Steve like she wanted to tell him something.

“Somethin on your mind Grace Face?”

“Why is Danno sleeping on the couch?”

Steve put on some deodorant but didn’t bother with a shirt or socks. He sat down on the edge of the bed next to Grace, “Because your dad is a giant stubborn goofball that says he doesn’t need to sleep in my old room.”

Grace furrowed her eyebrows, “Why would he sleep in your old room when he could just sleep in here with you?”

Suddenly, Steve stopped breathing, he’d choked on the air that was supposed to be making its way to his lungs. Why would Grace ask him that?

“Why would Danno sleep in here with me?” Steve asked.

Grace shrugged, “I dunno, grown-ups who love each other always sleep in the same bed, right? My mom and Step Stan do.”

“Well you’re right, but Danno and I don’t love each other that way Grace, we love each other like Ohana but not in a romantic way.”

Grace frowned at him and then she seemed to realize something, and she grinned at him—she looked just like Danny when he was making fun of Steve.

“Okay, Uncle Steve.”

Was that, sarcasm that Steve was hearing? Before he could say anything else, Grace grabbed his hand and started yanking him out of the bedroom, “You’re right Uncle Steve, that was a silly question. Let’s go eat some breakfast, come on.”

She tugged on his hand some more and he let her drag him into the hallway and down the stairs.

The smell that wafted into Steve’s nose was the most heavenly smell that Steve had ever smelled. Bacon, and—

“G’morning Steven, hope you like pancakes.”

Danny was standing in Steve’s kitchen, in sweats and a white t-shirt, and what looked to be an apron. The shorter detective had a hand towel slung across his right shoulder and a spatula in his hand.

“Are you wearing an apron?”

Danny glared at him, “Yes Steve, I am wearing an apron because despite the fact that I am a good cook I am also a messy cook and I’d rather not get pancake batter on my clothes.”

The sun was coming in through the sliding door and it lit up the entire kitchen. Danny’s hair matched the sunbeams hitting the wooden cabinets and Gracie was now sitting at the island stuffing her face with pancakes. She smiled at him with her cheeks full and Danny laughed.

Steve didn’t hear Danny laugh as often as he’d like to. It was a magical sound and Danny’s smile filled him with so much joy.

“Sit down you shirtless Neanderthal and eat some breakfast, would yah?”

Steve obeyed Danny obediently and sat next to Grace before accepting a plate of pancakes and bacon.

He couldn’t help the groan that erupted from his throat when he took a bite of his breakfast and Grace looked at him like he had three heads, “Danny, these are amazing.”

Danny grinned, “Of course they are.”

“Danno makes the best banana pancakes in the world.” Grace added, and Steve nodded smiling down at her.

Danny sat down across from them and together they ate breakfast, the sound of the ocean and the birds drifted in through an open window. Steve’s kitchen hadn’t been so full of life since he was a kid and it was wonderful.

As usual, Danny couldn’t get himself to shut up, he was always ranting about something and this morning it was one of his familiar tirades about how much he disliked pineapples. Steve was sure it was all to make Grace giggle, which she was doing religiously.

The domesticity of the morning really got to Steve, he enjoyed it, and he found himself thinking about what it would be like when Danny finally found an apartment and he and Gracie would leave. It made Steve sad, he liked having them here.

He liked waking up to find Danny in the kitchen. You’d think as best friends who work with each other every day that they’d get tired of one another, but they didn’t…well at least Steve didn’t. He could spend every waking moment with Danny and be completely happy.

“What’re you smiling at?”

Steve looked up from his empty plate to Danny, “What?”

“Are you deaf?” Danny asked, “I asked what you were smiling at. You’re sittin over there lookin all goofy.”

“I am?”

Danny nodded, grabbed their plates, and brought them to the sink. Grace giggled, and Steve looked down at the little girl and she winked at him. Gracie winked at him.

“Well?”

He looked back to Danny, “Uh, I dunno. It’s just nice having you guys here, especially when I get delicious pancakes.”

Steve gave Danny a grin to try and take the serious edge out of his voice. He hadn’t meant to sound so sincere but the honesty that they’d partaken in the night before was enough for both of them, at least for a little while.

“Oh, I see,” his partner rolled his eyes, “That’s all I’m good for, feeding you. You see this Monkey? He’s using us. My cooking skills and your magic Monkey hugs.”

Steve raised his hands, “You got me,” he stood from his seat, “I’m using the Williams’.”

He then picked Grace up out of her seat and she yelped loudly. He held her in the air and squeezed her tight, so she couldn’t move.

“I’m sorry,” Steve said grinning, “I couldn’t stop myself, I needed a magic Monkey hug!”

“Uncle Steve!” she giggled, “Put me down!”

“I can’t,” Steve shrugged, he squeezed her again, “My arms, they’re stuck! I can’t let go!”

He looked up to see Danny smiling at him and it hit Steve like a ton of bricks. Danny wasn’t just smiling a regular smile, he was smiling at Steve like Steve was the source of all of his happiness and it was doing something weird to him. He felt strange he had…butterflies? Is that what this feeling was called?

“Uncle Steve,” Grace said looking up at him, “I can’t feel my feet.”

Danny chuckled, and Steve put her down, “Sorry Grace Face.”

“Come help me with the dishes you animal.”

Grace sat on the counter next to the sink while Danny washed, and Steve dried before putting the dishes away. Steve had never really enjoyed cleaning but in this moment, it wasn’t so bad, it was actually enjoyable. Grace was smiling and talking to them about school and surfing, Steve and Danny were bantering back and forth like usual, and no one was getting shot at.

Danny’s phone rang, and they looked at one another, afraid it was a case. Case’s on Sundays were the worst. When Danny came back in the kitchen from answering it however, he was smiling.

“Hey Monkey, how do you feel about surfing with Auntie Kono today?”

Grace’s face lit up like a firefly and she nodded, “Yeah! You and Uncle Steve are gonna surf too right?”

Steve grinned, “Of course Gracie, I’ll get Danno into the water, no worries.

-x-

Steve never got tired of the ocean and they’d been in the water for hours. He’d gotten Danny to ride a couple waves with him before Grace stole him away and made him ride about a million with her. Steve and Kono floated on their boards farther out to keep out of their way.

The small waves were perfect for Grace to practice on and Kono had taught Danny enough so that he could help Grace. It was sweet to watch.

“Hows’it with those two?” Kono asked, “Having them stay with you, I mean.”

He grinned, “It’s great, I love having Gracie, I set up Mary’s old room for her, so she’d feel a little more at home and uh, Danny made breakfast this morning.”

“Awwww, you guys are so domestic!”

Steve shrugged, swirling his feet in the water so he was pointed towards her, his hands rested on his bored. His chest was almost dry because he’d been sitting up in the sun, “So what?”

 

Kono smirked, “It’s sweet, that’s all. You’re like a cute little family over there in the McGarrett house.”

Steve looked to where Danny dramatically fell into the incoming wave when Grace pushed him aside. They were laughing, and he couldn’t not smile as he watched them. He didn’t even realize he was doing it when he let out a long sigh.

“Brah,” Kono interrupted his thoughts.

“Sorry, huh?” Kono lifted a single eyebrow at him, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“ke aloha?”

“What?” Steve asked incredulously, “First Gracie and now you?”

Kono snorted, “Grace asked if you were in love with Danny?”

Steve looked down at his hands and rubbed some drops of ocean water into his board, “Something to that affect, yes.”

“Oh my god,” she splashed him, “Are you serious?!”

Steve lifted his arm to shield the small blow and splashed her back, “What??”

“Steve, if Gracie is asking you that then maybe you should take a minute to reevaluate your feelings. Kids see the truth in everything, brah.”

“Seriously, Kono?” Steve asked, “Danny and I are just friends. Sure, I love spending time with Danny, he’s my best friend—”

“Best friends are the best lovers,” she winked, “You’re telling me that you’ve never thought of Danny that way? Ever?”

They’d floated out farther then where they’d posted up and paddled closer to where Danny and Grace were. Steve thought while his arms worked to bring him closer the Williams’. Danny was an attractive man, and despite how much he irked the shit out of Steve a lot of the time with his anxiety and his rants and his paranoid, pessimistic thoughts, he was a kind, funny, and loving person.

Maybe there were a lot of times where they stared at one another for too long, or they touched each other for no real reason, or they were standing too close to one another without worrying about the other’s personal space.

Maybe Steve looked at Danny all the time. Maybe Steve appreciated the way Danny looked in his fitted dress pants and his tac vest, and maybe he loved the way Danny’s hair was the color of the sun, and the way the Jersey native waved his hands wildly when he was talking, and the way he was passionate about everything he did.

“Steve?” Kono asked, when they stopped paddling, “You with me?”

“Uh, yeah. Sorry, I just uh—”

“You were thinking of Danny in that way,” she grinned.

“Shut up,” he splashed her again.

“Hey!” someone shouted at them.

They looked up to Danny waving his arms at them, “Get over here, you two!”

Kono and Steve paddled over to them and when the water started to get shallow he stood and waded to Danny and Grace, dragging his board behind him.

“Come play with this Sea-Monkey,” Danny said splashing Grace a little, “If I stay in this godforsaken salt water any longer I’m gonna shrivel up and die.”

Kono rolled her eyes, “Its good for you brah!”

“I’m sorry but I prefer to be on dry land,” Danny chuckled.

Steve splashed him.

“Excuse me,” Danny turned towards him, “Did you not just hear what I said?”

“I heard you,” he shrugged, “I just think you’re full of it. You love the ocean, and you don’t wanna admit it.”

Danny raised his eyebrows, “You are an animal, and you cannot force your island ways on me. The only shore I will love is the one in Jersey, capisce?”

“No,” Steve shrugged.

“No? What do you mea—” Steve grabbed Danny around the torso and tossed him into the incoming wave behind them. Danny was short, but he was stalky and solid muscle, but

Steve was able to use the water to his advantage and throw his partner into the ocean.

Danny popped up out of some sea foam, pushed his hair back and rubbed his hands down his face, wiping the ocean water from his eyes.

“What the hell is the matter with you?”

Steve was too busy laughing with Kono and Grace to answer him. Then he was underwater, a hand pushing him into the waves. Danny had grabbed his elbow with one hand, placed his other hand on Steve’s chest, then swept a foot under Steve’s ankles and plummeted his friend into the water.

When Steve sat up in the shallows and looked around Danny pointed at him, “You deserved that, you Neanderthal.”

Danny was smiling, and Steve grinned up at him.

“Uncle Steve will you throw me?” Grace asked doggy paddling over to where he was sitting in the surf.

“Sure thing, Gracie,” like Danny, and most anyone else who loved Grace, he couldn’t say no.

Grace took Steve’s hand and then Danny’s and pulled them both out to deeper waters. Steve looked up to see Danny smiling at him over Grace’s head. Steve grinned back, meeting Danny’s eyes and he blushed. Steve fucking blushed and Danny just smiled wider at him. He didn’t know if Danny’s reaction was because he saw the blush or if he was just happy, or both. Either way Steve didn’t really care, he was just glad to be there with them, with him.

-x-

The group met Chin at Kamekona’s shrimp truck for lunch before going their separate ways. When they got home, Grace called Rachel on the phone and Steve went up to his room to change before grabbing his running shoes and a pair of socks.

He sat down on the couch and started putting his sneakers on, “Steve? What’re you doing?”

He looked up to see Danny leaning on the doorway between the kitchen and the living room.

“What’s it look like I’m doing? I’m going for a run.”

Danny furrowed his eyebrows, “Um, why?”

Steve shrugged, “Just feel like it.”

In reality, Steve was jittery as all get out. Even though he’d been out at the beach all day, surfing and playing with Grace, he wasn’t tired. He was amped up from his talk with Kono and he needed some time to himself to think about things—specifically the confusing feelings he had jumbled around in his head.

Running seemed like the only thing that would give him the solitude to think without making it look like he was brooding. He wasn’t brooding, but Danny would think he was brooding and then badger him until Steve’s brain was ready to implode.

“Well okay SuperSEAL,” Danny said smirking at him, “You go uh, exercise like a weird person and I will make dinner.”

“Danny, we just ate lunch.”

Danny did not seem confused by this, “Yes Steven, we did, but if I want to make lasagna then I need to go to the store and get the ingredients and then I need to prep everything, and then I will cook it which takes almost an hour on its own. So, you go for your little run and I will make dinner.”

Steve chuckled, “Alright Daniel, I’ll see you later.”

Steve was suddenly overcome with a strangely intense urge to kiss Danny goodbye, and he just barely stopped himself from leaning down and pecking his partner on the cheek.

Danny frowned at him, he must have been making a weird face and unfortunately Danny had always been good at reading his facial expressions, but he didn’t say anything about it, “Okay, see you later.”

Once Steve had jogged down his road he turned sharply into the woods and sprinted up a trail that hadn’t been used by anyone but him in years. As Steve got to a comfortable pace where there was only a slight burn in his lungs and legs his mind began to wander to his conversation with Kono earlier.

Was she right? Was Grace seeing something that he wasn’t? He’d had some thoughts about Danny out on the water earlier and the strange thing was that he’d had all of those thoughts before and just never really thought about them this way.

Now that he was analyzing his thoughts he was pretty sure every time he saw Danny walk into work, his first thought was always something akin to Wow, Danny’s ass always looks good in those pants. Steve had just always chalked that up to him appreciating another man’s physical aspects in a very platonic way, but not only was that complete bullshit it was also something he only did with Danny.

He never looked at Chin and thought, _damn Chin, your biceps look good today_ , no matter how studly his Hawaiian coworker was looking that day.

That was just with Steve dealing with his physical attraction to Danny. Thinking about how Danny had always made him feel? Looking at things the way that Kono and Grace were looking at them cleared things up. It was like up until today Steve had been living in a fog because he didn’t want to admit how he was really feeling and now, with a few words from a little girl and a surfer, he could see.

Steve McGarrett was in love with Danny Williams.

He almost stopped running completely. Shit, he was in love with Danny and they were living together.

“Fuck,” Steve huffed.

He pulled out his phone and called Kono, he didn’t have his Bluetooth so holding his phone as he ran would have to do.

_“Steve?”_

“Yeah, Kono, hey,”

_“Are you running?”_

Steve nodded and then rolled his eyes at himself because she couldn’t see him, they were on the phone.

“Uh yeah,” his breathing was steadier than the average runners, but it was still irregular, “I went for a run because I had to think and I uh, shit Kono, I’m in love with Danny.”

_“Congrats brah! You are officially the last person to know, aside from Danny obviously.”_

Steve was closing in on the end of his trail and making his way up a main road, “That’s great,” sarcasm was dripping from his voice, “What do I do? We’re living together!”

_“Well, we’re all pretty sure that Danny feels the same way about you but maybe feel him out just to make sure? You two flirt with each other mercilessly at work, can’t be that hard to do at home.”_

“We don’t flirt,” Steve said defiantly.

He heard her snort into the phone, _“Uh, yeah you do, brah.”_

“Whatever,” he grunted, he had picked up his pace because he wasn’t sure what sure what else to do with himself, “I—What am I—How do I—” he didn’t even know how to formulate his question.

_“Listen Boss, you just gotta do what feels right. Take things slow at first, feel Danny out, see where the two of you are at and then move on from there. You guys are meant for each other, don’t stress too much.”_

Easier said then done.

When Steve got back to his house he walked in through the back door and toed off his running shoes. Danny and Grace were in the kitchen. Grace was watching as her father chopped vegetables before adding them to the pot that was sitting over a burner on the stove. The entire house smelled delicious.

“It smells great in here,” Steve voiced, and Danny and Grace looked up at him.

“And SuperSEAL has returned!” Danny lifted an eyebrow, “You were gone for a while buddy, you run to another island?”

Steve rolled his eyes, “I ran my regular route Danny, six miles isn’t that far.”

“Six mil— _six miles_? You are not a car Steven, you’re not supposed to travel such distances on foot if you can do so in a vehicle with four wheels.”

“I’m sorry that I enjoy exercise, Daniel,” Steve grabbed the hand towel on Danny’s shoulder and wiped the sweat from his forehead and neck with it.

“Hey! Hey! Are you crazy?” Danny snatched the towel back, “This is for hands! Not your disgusting body fluids! Look at this, it’s soiled. Go take a shower, you ape, go!”

Danny twisted the towel and snapped it at Steve until he went up the stairs and Gracie’s giggle filled the entire house. Steve cackled all the way up the stairs, he couldn’t stop smiling.

-x-

Steve was slumped on the couch with a longboard in one hand while the other rubbed his absurdly full stomach. Danny was coming down the stairs from putting Grace to bed and he grabbed the longboard on the coffee table that Steve had gotten for him.

“What’s the matter with you?” Danny asked sitting next to him, “Why do you look like you’re in pain?”

Steve glared up at him, “This is your fault. You had to cook the best lasagna I’ve ever had. It’s been two hours and I’m still full.”

Danny laughed, “You didn’t have to eat three helpings.”

He rubbed his stomach again, “Danny, I’m dangerously bloated, look at this! I’m gonna pop.”

Danny rolled his eyes and Steve could have sworn his partner’s eyes lingered on his bare torso for longer than necessary.

“Shut up,” Danny grumbled, “You call that bloated? I’m rounder than you and I’ve fully digested my meal.”

“You shut up,” Steve grumbled back, “You look great.”

Danny’s eyebrows raised, and he grinned, “You think I look great?”

Dammit, now that Steve was aware of his feelings the compliment held so much more then friendship.

“Yeah Danno,” Steve blushed, and he looked away and at the tv, but Danny prodded him in the ribs with a finger, “What?”

Danny practically giggled, “You think I look great.”

“Will you hush?” Steve playfully glared at the blonde man next to him, “I’m not saying nice things anymore if they’re gonna go to your head.”

Danny held his hands up in mock defense, “Alright, alright.”

The smaller man leaned back into the couch next to Steve and took a swig from his beer. Steve peaked at him in his peripheral vision, Danny had directed his eyes to the old hockey game on the tv.

“Today was, uh, really great,” he ventured, taking a sip of his own beer.

A smile spread onto Danny’s face, “Yeah it was,” he looked over at Steve, their eyes locked, “It was.”

Steve smiled back, softly, and took a chance. Danny had held his hand the night before and Steve knew it was a gesture of appreciation, but he thought he’d take the risk anyways. He reached out his free hand and snagged Danny’s, intertwining their fingers like his friend had the night before.

Danny didn’t say anything, he just smiled a little more, before turning his attention back towards the tv. And they sat there just like they had every other night Danny had been staying and they watched tv and drank beer only this time their hands were clasped together.

When Steve got up to go to bed he didn’t let go of Danny’s hand when he stood.

“Goodnight Danno,” Steve’s gaze met Danny’s and he squeezed Danny’s hand.

Danny squeezed back, “Goodnight Steve.”

He let go and walked up the stairs. He could feel Danny’s eyes on his back as he left the living room and his hand felt cold now that Danny’s wasn’t holding it.  
Steve’s bed had never felt empty before tonight and for the first night in ages he wasn’t sure if he’d get much sleep.


	3. Monday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is where the fic starts to cross with episode 2x10, when Steve goes to North Korea with Jenna. There's a little bit of show dialogue but only a smidgen when Danny is asking steve is he has to go to korea and stuff. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Steve SuperSEAL McGarrett was awake at 5:30 in the morning every week day.  _5:30 am_.  Normally because of SuperSEAL’s ninja skills he never woke Danny up but today, Monday of all days, Steve decided it would be a miraculous idea to stub his big gigantic foot on the edge of the counter in the kitchen. 

The grunt that followed was hushed and strained, like he was holding his breath to try and remain as quiet as possible, but, of course, it woke Danny without difficulty.  Detective Williams had forgone wearing his noise cancelling headphones, so he wouldn’t miss the sound of his alarm which in turn made his ear’s vulnerable to the clumsy lout that had stumbled into the kitchen. 

                “You alright there, Steven?  Didn’t break a toe, did you?”  Danny asked without opening his eyes or moving from his comfortable position on the couch. 

He could feel Steve glaring at him. 

                “ M’fine, go back to sleep.” 

                “Easier said then done,” Danny mumbled, turning on his side he looked over at Steve sleepily, “I thought you were some sort of ninja, aren’t you supposed to be sneaky?” 

Steve rolled his eyes, “I didn’t sleep well last night, I’m a little groggy and stubbed my toe.” 

Danny’s brows furrowed with worry, “Everything okay?”

His partner seemed a little surprised by the sincerity in his voice, what did he expect?  Danny worried about everything and everyone for Christ’s sake, his brain was wired that way. 

He knew that Steve suffered from PTSD, and he knew that it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could be but there was always an occasional nightmare that kept the SEAL up. 

Steve shrugged, “Uh yeah, I’m fine.”  

Steve walked out of Danny’s view and returned a moment later with his swim trunks on and a towel slung across his shoulder. 

                “I’m gonna head out for my swim, try and sleep a little more, you’ve got to wake Gracie up in an hour.” 

                “Yeah, yeah,” Danny waved him away, turning to face the back of the couch to hide not only the blush in his cheeks that he could barely control whenever Steve was shirtless, which was _all the time_ , but also the morning wood he was sporting that peaked with interest at his bare-chested friend. 

He heard the back door slide open and shut and Danny pinched the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb.  He’d thought he’d gotten used to it—being around Steve, hiding his feelings, trying to keep things as professional as possible (which was rarely ever the case), but after last night? 

Danny was screwed…and confused.   

There had been the hand holding, and the long bouts of eye contact that were even longer then before, and compliments, and Danny literally had zero clue what was going on. 

Watching Steve walk up the stairs to his bedroom the night before had been incredibly difficult.  The longing that he felt, the _need_ to follow, to have Steve next to him had felt like it was burning a hole in his chest.  He’d actually gotten up and downed a glass of cold water hoping to shake him from his state of unrest, but it didn’t help.

Sighing because there was no way he was going to fall back to sleep he stood from the couch and made his way to the kitchen, put on a pot of coffee, and then jumped in the shower.  The cold water did nothing to curb his libido from his near-death Steve-encounter and he’d never been comfortable beating off in the shower knowing Grace was in the house, so he sucked it up and got dressed. 

Once his dress pants were on and his dress shirt was around his shoulders he went to wake up Grace.  Despite how much Grace favored Rachel in the looks department, everything about her mannerisms screamed Danny.  Grace loved to sleep late like her father, even though his insomnia believed otherwise, and she hated getting up for school. 

After a reasonably successful tickle monster attack and the promise of an omelet he got his daughter out of bed and she followed him down the stairs and into the McGarrett kitchen.  Hopping up on a stool at the counter she watched her father poor himself some coffee and hand her a glass of juice before getting the fixings for a solid school day breakfast.    

Keeping his dress shirt unbuttoned so he wouldn’t get any food on it he set to making Grace an omelet.  As he handed Grace her breakfast and started making his own omelet a damp Steve walked inside. 

                “You want an omelet?”

Steve sniffed the air like a puppy and raised his eyebrows, “Yeah, that’d be awesome.” 

Danny set to making one for Steve before he made his own and hummed quietly as he cooked.  Steve sat down next to Gracie and shook his wet hair over her playfully.  She frowned at him and pulled away, shielding her food from the salty droplets springing off him. 

                “Not a morning person Grace face?” 

Grace continued to glare at her Uncle Steve before shoving some more omelet in her mouth and Danny chuckled. 

                “You Williams’ really value sleeping in, huh?” 

Grace nodded, and Danny rolled his eyes, “Not everyone gets up at the butt crack of dawn to swim in the ocean like a certified psychopath.” 

Steve just shrugged, “My internal clock is set early, I can’t help it.  I don’t think I could sleep in if I tried.” 

Danny handed Steve his omelet and noticed that Grace was making a face at him. 

                “Monkey?  Do I have something on my face?” he reached to feel if there was food on his cheeks. 

Grace shook her head, “No Danno, you’ve got egg in your chest hair.”  His daughter made a face of pure disgust and Steve and Danny laughed. 

Looking down at himself there was a crumb of cooked egg sitting right in the blonde curly hair between his pecs.  He plucked it from his chest and popped in his mouth and his daughter looked horrified. 

                “Danno! Gross!” 

                “What’s wrong Monkey?” Danny chuckled. 

                “Chest hair is weird,” she grumbled. 

Danny pretended to be horribly offended and she rolled her eyes before he set his omelet on the counter and went to give his daughter a big bare-chested squeeze.  Grace grumbled her annoyance but welcomed a hug from her Danno just the same. 

                “A lot of people have chest hair Grace,” Steve said with a chuckle, “It just so happens that your dad has an excessive amount.  He’s probably part Sasquatch, he inherited the hair but not the height.”  His partner stage whispered to his daughter and Danny resisted the urge to flip him off. 

                “You know what Steven, just—just hush.” 

Good one Danny.  He hadn’t been able to think of a comeback because he was busy staring at _Steve’s_ chest that was graced with a small amount of chest hair and a large amount of muscle.  Curse that golden skinned, cargo pants wearing, god among men. 

Steve hopped in the shower while Danny drove Grace to school. 

                “Danno?” 

                “What’s up, Monkey?”

He looked down at his daughter in the passenger seat of the Camaro, she was looking out the window, but he could tell she was thinking hard about something. 

                “I really like living with you and Uncle Steve.” 

Grace never failed to make him smile, “We really like living with you too, babe.  I love getting lots of Gracie time, you’re the best part of my day, the light of my life, how could we not like having you around, huh?” 

Grace was looking down at her hands while she fiddled with her thumbs, “I like Uncle Steve more then Step-Stan.  Step-Stan just buys me toys and leaves all the time, Uncle Steve plays with me and talks to me.” 

Despite the complete and utter joy and triumph that Danny felt when Grace said she liked Steve more then Stan, it also made his Dad senses tingle with worry.  Stan was Grace’s step dad, and Rachel’s husband, it wouldn’t be the best if Grace wasn’t a fan of the man that was living with her and her mom. 

Not to mention, if she said anything to Rachel, his ex-wife would find some way to blame it on him. 

                “Monkey, look at me,” Danny turned to see her wide brown eyes staring at him from the passenger seat, “I know Step Stan isn’t the coolest dude around, in all honesty he’s kind of a nerd _but_ he makes Mommy happy.  And I think he buys you toys because he doesn’t know how else to connect with you sweetie, Uncle Steve is around me too much.  All I do is talk about you, non-stop, the entire day at work, so he knows everything there is to know about you.” 

Grace giggled at Danny’s overexaggerated confession and he smiled at her, “For some people, like Uncle Steve, it’s easy to make friends but Step Stan doesn’t know how.  You just gotta give him a chance because he loves you.” 

                “Okay Danno, I’ll give him a chance,” they pulled up in front of Grace’s school and she turned to her dad one more time to give him a kiss goodbye, “Danno?” 

                “Yes Monkey?” 

                “I used to be mad at Mommy because she chose Step Stan over you, because I didn’t like that you were lonely, but I’m not anymore.” 

The comment surprised him, he couldn’t stop his eyebrows from raising high on his forehead if he had wanted to, “Well that’s good, you shouldn’t be mad at Mommy, sometimes people fall out of love Gracie, we’ve talked about that before.” 

Grace shook her head, “I know Danno, I wasn’t mad because I wanted you to marry Mommy again, I just didn’t like to see you sad.  But you’re happy now that you have Uncle Steve.  I’m happy too, I’ll see you after school Danno!  Love you!”

And before Danny could even get a word in edgewise his daughter was out of the car and running towards her friends in the school yard. 

He’d always known that Grace was smart, but he hadn’t realized that she could see through him like he was a freshly cleaned window.  He didn’t really know what to think and he didn’t want Grace to have the wrong idea about him and Steve, even if it’s what he wanted more then anything. 

-x-

Steve used the fact that he was alone in the house to relieve himself of the building tension coursing through his veins while he was in the shower. He'd gotten a terrible night's sleep the night before after leaving Danny on the couch because his bed had felt empty and all he'd wanted to do was hold Danny in his arms.  

Ever since his revelation the day before, the whole _I’m in love with Danny_ thing, he’d lost all control over himself.  Before, he’d just push everything he felt down inside of himself, part of it was denial and part of it was fear, and that control helped him keep himself in check. 

But now? 

Steve had never been so flustered in his life.  When he walked into his kitchen this morning he had not expected to see a half shirtless Danny, with his stupid golden skin, and his stupid blonde chest hair, cooking in his kitchen for his adorable daughter.

It was all a little too much for Steve.  The two people he loved the most in this world were happily going about their morning routines in his kitchen and he realized that he _never_ wanted that to change. 

Not to mention he was now acutely aware of how his attraction to his handsome toe headed partner made acting like civilized human being extremely difficult, and he had no idea how the work day was going to go.  Who knew he’d ever be so distracted and enthralled with one man’s chest hair? 

Thoughts of how hot bothered he was this morning vanished when Danny swung by to pick him up for work and didn’t complain once about Steve driving.   He could tell something was wrong.    

                “Danny?  You alright, buddy?” 

His partner blinked a couple times, liked he’d been too far inside his own mind, “Uh, yeah I’m fine.” 

Scrunching his eyebrows Steve frowned at his partner, looking at him and then the road several times until Danny sighed loudly, “What, Steven?” 

“Something’s bothering you.” 

It wasn’t a question and Danny sent him an accusatory squint before speaking, “It’s Grace.  She told me that she doesn’t like Stan.” 

Steve tried to hide his smirk and swallowed the chuckle that was rising in his throat, “Oh-kaayyy…”

                “This is bothering me, Steve, _because_ , even though I am also not a huge fan of Stan, he is Grace’s stepfather, and he is married to her mother and he’s going to be in her life.  If she doesn’t like him she’s going to be unhappy, which will make her mother unhappy, and she will then blame me which will make _me_ unhappy.  Do you see the problem?” 

There was something extremely attractive about Danny when he ranted—which was just another thing Steve was now struggling with—because he was so passionate and full of life.  It didn’t matter if whatever was spewing from his mouth was positive or negative, there was a thick vein that popped out in his neck and his hands waved and sometimes pieces of his blonde hair fell into his eyes. 

This was, Steve now realized, probably why he was always looking for ways to get Danny riled up, which didn’t take too much effort. 

                “Yeah,” Steve finally replied, pulling into the HQ parking lot, “I can see where that would be difficult.  That’s _really_ what Gracie said?  That she didn’t _like_ Stan?” 

Danny shrugged and looked everywhere but at Steve as they entered HQ and made their way to their floor, “Something to that affect, yes.” 

                “Something to that affect?” Steve chuckled, “Danny what did she actually say?”

Danny stopped in the hallway before they got to Five-0 headquarters and turned to look at Steve, “You wanna know what she said?” 

Crossing his arms and looking at his blonde partner, Steve nodded, “Yes, I would like to know, if it’s not too much trouble.” 

Danny’s hands were on his slim hips, his shirt buttons straining because his shoulders were so damn wide, and the shirt was so damn tight.  Steve wished he would say something before his mind got too carried away. 

                “Grace told me that she likes you more then Stan, okay?  That’s what she said.” 

He wasn’t sure what he had expected Danny to say but it wasn’t that.  He was aware that Gracie was fond of him, but he didn’t know what her relationship with her stepfather was like and expected it to be a good one.  She had only known him for two years and Stan had been in her life for a lot longer.  Steve’s crossed arms fell to his sides and then he crossed them again. 

                “Steve, now is hardly the time for aneurism face.” 

Uncrossing his arms again, he wiped a hand down his face revealing a smile that Danny rolled his eyes at. 

                “Don’t let this affect your ego, it’s already big enough.” 

                “I don’t see what the problem is,” he said, still grinning. 

Danny rubbed his temples, “She said she liked ‘Uncle Steve more then Step Stan’, and I mean that’s understandable.  I like you more then Stan too, but you’re not married to her mom Steve!  I don’t want her to be miserable at home and I _definitely_ don’t want Rachel blaming me for causing it!” 

                “You like me?” Steve waggled his eyebrows.  He couldn’t help it, even if it wasn’t a romantic confession, he loved hearing that Danny cared about him.  Whenever Danny admitted any positive feelings towards him it made him happy. 

Danny glared at him and Steve raised his palms in defense, “Sorry, sorry.  What did you say to her?” 

His partner sighed and mirrored his stance, crossing his arms across his chest, “I told her she needed to give Stan a chance.  I explained to her that Stan wasn’t as good at making friends as you were and sometimes it takes a little longer for people to open, up.  She likes that you treat her like a person yah know?  Instead of just a little kid.  You ask her questions and you challenge her and are always genuinely curious about how she’s doing.  Stan’s like a fucking soulless robot, he just buys her toys when he’s home and then goes off on a business trip without so much as a goodbye.” 

                “She said that?”

Emotions flooded through Steve, anger at Stan, happiness that he could be that person for Grace, surprise at the gratitude in Danny’s voice. 

                “Yeah,” Danny smiled at him for the first time since this morning, “You’re amazing with Grace, and I am eternally grateful for that, but I don’t want her mom to think I’m trying to win Grace over.  That’s not my goal, I just love my daughter and want her to be happy, I can’t help it if she has a better time with us then she does with Rachel and Stan.  I don’t want Rachel to take her away, Steve.” 

Steve was taken aback when Danny said ‘us´ as in he and Danny, comparing the two of them to Rachel and Stan.  It was oddly satisfying, getting some sort of confirmation that even though he and Danny weren’t together they were still a family.  Still Ohana. 

                “Hey,” he rested his palms on Danny’s massive shoulders and looked down into Danny’s eyes, “Listen to me, Rachel is not going to take her away from you and if she tries?  I will see to it personally that that doesn’t happen, okay?  Maybe you should reach out to Rachel, talk to her about it, show a sign of good faith?  Maybe even talk to Stan, give him some pointers?” 

Danny nodded, and Steve almost melted when Danny’s hands came up to grasp his wrists, like he was grounding himself. 

                “Yeah, that’s a good idea.” Danny squeezed Steve’s wrists one time before letting go and stepping back to point a finger up at him, “And I appreciate the offer, but I’m not sure I need the wrath of Steven McGarrett, the U.S. Navy, and the Governor to threaten my ex-wife.” 

Steve clapped him on the back as they made their way inside Five-0 headquarters, “Well, if you change your mind let me know.” 

                “You’re an animal.” 

Steve grinned and Chin and Kono lifted their eyebrows at them as they made their way to the tech table. 

                “Why is he an animal this time?” Kono asked. 

Danny shrugged, “He’s always an animal, he doesn’t need a reason.” 

The cousins chuckled, and Steve looked up to see Kono staring him right in the eyes.  Her expression was knowing, and he blushed before looking at Chin, “Whadda we got?” 

Chin did his magic hand swoop and a woman’s face appeared on the screen, “Reporter Bethany Morris was found murdered in her apartment this morning.” 

-x-

Despite the conversation Danny had had with Grace, his meltdown in the hallway with Steve, and the murder they were currently working, he thought the day had be going rather well. 

Steve had been pleasantly supportive and sincere when Danny had freaked out about Grace and Stan, and there had been so much touching, _way too much_ touching.  When Steve had grasped his shoulders and looked into his eyes he was lost. 

He’d never been able to pinpoint exactly what color Steve’s eyes were, some days there were blue, some days they were green, and today they looked like the ocean as it crashed into mossy green rocks on a cliffside.  Serious, and fierce, and full of emotions that Danny couldn’t decipher. 

The stalky detective was still trying to grasp the fact that he and Steve had held hands two nights in a row, and now the weird sexual tension that had always been there was notched up from a ten to a twelve and he couldn’t bring himself to be anything but happy about it. 

The day had continued with some harmless flirting which wasn’t all that different then before and the knowing looks that Steve and Kono were sharing were making him suspicious, but Danny was having a good day. 

At least he _was_ until Jenna Kaye called Steve. 

Ever since Jenna had busted into Steve’s office spouting lies to gain information he hadn’t liked her.  Sure, he’d pitied her when the reason behind her actions came to light, but Danny still felt off around her.  Steve’s judgement was clouded by the similarity of their situations, _but_ Jenna didn’t have the pure good within her that Steve did, Danny could tell. 

So, when Steve dropped what he was doing to meet Jenna for ‘lunch’ and left Danny and Chin to interrogate their murder suspect, he was really fucking irritated. 

Of course, the wise and zen-like Chin could tell immediately that something was up.  Leaving the suspect handcuffed to the metal chair they exited the interrogation room, and Chin rested a hand on Danny’s shoulder, “Danny, you alright, brah?” 

                “No, Chin,” he replied, surprising them both with his honesty, “I’m fucking annoyed.  I know she’s been helpful, but I can’t bring myself to trust Jenna completely.” 

Chin rose his eyebrows, “This is about Steve?” 

                “Yes, this is about Steve.” 

Chin smiled softly, “I didn’t think you were the jealous type, but I don’t think you need to worry, Jenna’s a little preoccupied with her dead fiancé.” 

Danny ran both hands over his hair and let out an exasperated breath, “This is _not_ about my unrequited romantic feelings!  This is about this feeling in my gut, the feeling of absolute dread that I got as soon as Steve answered the phone.” 

Chin’s features softened, “I’m sure Steve is fine, Danny.” 

Danny nodded, calming himself enough to breath normally before walking up to HQ with Chin. 

                “Pretty sure your feelings aren’t as unrequited as you think they are,” Chin’s voice echoed in the stairwell. 

Danny couldn’t stop himself from smiling just a little bit, “One word,” he pointed at his Hawaiian friend violently, “One word, Chin ho, to _anyone_ and you will feel my Jersey wrath.”

Chin nodded as solemnly as he could without smirking, “Noted. 

That smile on Danny’s lips quickly replaced itself with a snarl when Kono found them at the door to HQ and told them that Steve was going to Korea to help Jenna rescue her fiancé.  Chin looked at Danny warily. 

                “Fuck me, you’ve got to be fuckin—,” Danny stormed towards Steve’s office where the SEAL was sitting at his desk. 

                “Steve’s dead.” Chin stated simply and Kono nodded.

 “Got that right, cuz.  Danny’s gonna tear him a new one.” 

-x-

Steve had sent Kono to go to tell Chin and Danny the news about him going to Korea to help Jenna.  Despite how strongly he felt about the mission, that he felt like he owed Jenna for helping him with Wo Fat, that he’d do it for any of them, he _knew_ Danny was going to flip. 

And he shouldn’t have been surprised when Danny came storming towards his office with fire in his eyes—and this was _not_ the time to find it extremely hot. The blonde detective walked in, placed his hands on the back of a chair and sighed. 

                “Listen, I know you—I know you want to put on the cape and save the day but please, keep in mind please, that this is not a puddle jumper to Lana’i.  Okay, this is North Korea.” 

The fear and worry in Danny’s eyes were clear as day not to mention frustration. 

                “I’m aware of that, thank you, Danny.” 

He fiddled at his desk, put his things into a bag, kept his eyes down.  He couldn’t look at Danny.  Not when he knew if Danny asked him to stay, to _really_ stay he probably would.

                “Okay,” Danny’s voice dripped with defeat, “What do you want to do?”  

                “What am I gonna do?” Steve asked, and this time he did look at Danny, who had jutted his bottom lip into an adorable pout, “I gotta help her.  I’d do the same for you, and anybody else here.  Yah know?  What am I gonna do?” 

He walked around his desk to head for the door and Danny followed. 

                “Okay.  Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Please just…I’m just assuming whatever it is you’re about to do, you’ve done before, right?” 

He smiled slightly, Danny’s concern was endearing, and he looked Danny in the eyes but said nothing. 

                “Ah, it’s classified.  Of course.” 

                “Do I… is that concern that I see?” 

He was trying to lighten the mood, he didn’t want this to be some sort of emotional goodbye because he wasn’t sure how he’d handle that—he’d never had one of those before. 

Danny smirked up at him, “Yeah, jerk.  I’m concerned.  Big deal.” 

                He reached out to squeeze Danny’s shoulder, “I’ll be fine, alright?”

Danny clasped his hands together and looked at the floor, “It’s North Korea.  What could go wrong?” 

Laurie came in, (a woman that he wasn’t jealous of but felt for because he was pretty sure they were in the same boat when it came to their feelings for Steve), and Danny nodded to her before getting Steve’s attention again.

                “Do me a favor, and watch yourself huh?” 

Turning from the door way Steve grinned, “I’ll think about you the entire time.” 

                “Thank you.” 

Steve was about to leave and then turned again, getting Danny’s attention this time, “Danno?”

                “What?” 

                “Tell Gracie goodbye for me?  And that Uncle Steve loves her?” 

Danny shook his head and walked back over to him and poked him hard in the chest, “Don’t—don’t do that Steven.  Don’t do that incase-I-die-tell-the-people-I-love-this-and-that and all that shit.  You come home, you hear me?” 

Steve locked eyes with Danny and nodded before pulling the smaller man in for a hug, “I’ll be home soon, Danno,” he whispered. 

Danny gave him one good squeeze before pushing him away, “Get outta here.” 

And Steve went. 

As he walked to his truck, and as he drove to Jenna’s, as they flew across the country, all Steve wanted to do was pull Danny to him again, to hold him.  Danny was grounding, a voice of reason in the cluttered thoughts of Steve’s mind and without him he felt like he’d left a piece of him behind. 

Steve had never had that before, people to come home to, after a mission.  Now that he did?  It made things 1,000x more difficult.

They were in a jeep, driving through the hot and humid and buggy North Korean jungle and Jenna nudged him with her elbow. 

                “Steve?  You okay?” 

He shrugged, “Yeah, sorry.  Just thinking about someone.” 

Jenna didn’t say anything back which struck him as weird because she’d always been rather nosey, even in stressful situations.  It wasn’t as weird as the hostage the Koreans were holding for the switch.  It wasn’t Josh and he knew it and he told Jenna and she knew but she kept trying to go forward. 

Something was wrong, she was putting up a façade and he couldn’t figure out why.  Before he could entertain any ideas about what was actually going on someone hit him over the head with the butt of a rifle and he blacked out. 

When he woke up there was a rope leash tied around his neck and his wrists were bound.  Wo Fat was there looking at him like he was a piece of cattle, and Jenna was there, looking at him with guilt and sadness.  He yelled at her and he yelled at Wo Fat but no one would say anything. 

They arrived at a bunker within the hour and he was strung up to the ceiling by his wrists, his bare toes barely touching the concrete beneath them.  Soon enough, as he had expected, the torture started.  Wo Fat pounded on him with his fists, and electrocuted him, and sliced at his skin, all to find out who Shelbourne was. 

Only Steve didn’t know. 

He was wished he knew, he wanted to know _so_ badly who Shelbourne was and why they were causing him all this grief. 

But Wo Fat didn’t believe him, and Steve was ready to shoot him in the head. 

As he hung there from the rafters bleeding and tired after three hours of torture he tried to calm his heart rate but as soon as he closed his eyes Danny’s face flashed before his eyes.  Danny’s face and Grace’s face.  Grace’s smile, Danny holding her in the ocean, her jumping into his own arms and clinging to his back as they chased Danny around Steve’s lanai.  A tear made its way down Steve’s cheek, and anger and sadness filled him up. 

There was a good chance he would die here.  He would die here, tied to this ceiling not having told Danny how he really felt.  A broken sob erupted from his chest and echoed in the empty room.  If he got out of this, he wasn’t going to waste any more time. 

-x-

 There had been an incredibly awkward moment in Steve’s office after the Navy SEAL left where Lori was looking at him like she was just now realizing what was going on between them.  What Danny hoped was going on between them anyways. 

Ignoring her curious and maybe jealous gaze Danny worked the case.  Hoping the distraction would keep his mind off the man that he was in love with that was in North fucking Korea helping someone he’d known for a couple months.  Curse Steve McGarrett and his heart of gold. 

His distraction quickly wilted and morphed into heart wrenching worry when Jenna Kaye’s face popped up in a lead.  They found out that she had never left the island and was connected somehow to the murder of Bethany Morris. 

So Danny called Steve.  20 times.  He didn’t answer one of those calls.  Kono assured him that the forest coverage could easily be blocking the signal of Steve’s satellite phone, but Danny shook his head.  He could feel it in his bones that something was wrong.  But they had no other information, so they worked the lead and came up with more questions. 

They found another dead body and a CIA op called ‘Operation Switchback’.  Danny figured it was time to go see Joe White.  As soon as Danny told him that Steve was in North Korea and he thought he was in trouble the older Navy man was on board 100%. 

Then he got a phone call from Jenna, of all people.  Kono got a trace up and Danny answered the call. 

                “Hey Jenna, its Danny.  Where are you?”  he was too worried to sound mad. 

                _“Danny…I’m sorry.  I screwed up. I’m so sorry.”_

                “It’s okay, just tell me, where is Steve?” 

                _“It’s Wo Fat.  It’s Wo Fat, Danny. He has him, and I led Steve right to him.”_

Danny felt like fear was crippling him, but he forced himself to speak words he never wanted to say out loud, “Is he alive?”

                _“We’re south of Kaesong.  A town called—”_

The phone crackled, and Jenna’s voice stuttered, “A town called what?” he panicked, “Jenna, a town called what?  You broke up, say it again.  Jenna I can’t hear you, say it again, where’s Steve?! Jenna?!” 

The call dropped. 

                “Shit!” Danny punched the wall next to one of the monitors. 

Joe White showed up before Danny had a chance to crumple into a heaping pile of worry and misery.  The former Navy SEAL had finagled a way to get them to Steve. 

                “Go home,” Joe said to all of them, “Get some rest.  We leave tomorrow morning at 05:00, we’ll find him.” 

Danny looked at his watch, it was almost 3 o’clock and he needed to pick up Grace from school. 

 _Shit_ , he not only had to tell Grace that her Uncle Steve needed her Danno to rescue him, but he also needed someone to watch Gracie while he was gone.  He hoped she could stay over a friend’s house because he’d rather not leave her with Kamekona over night. 

Grace was already on the school’s steps when he pulled up and he could tell she knew something was wrong as soon as she’d gotten in the car. He brought her to Diamond Head, the spot on the highway that was Danny’s favorite place in Hawaii. 

                “Danno?  What’s going on?” 

Danny wrapped an arm around her tiny shoulders and they looked out at the ocean, “I’ve got to leave for a day or two.  Uncle Steve needs some help and Five-0’s gotta go help him.” 

Worry immediately crossed her features, “Is he okay?” 

He didn’t think he could lie to her, not about this, so he was honest instead, even if it would hurt a little bit, “I dunno, Monkey.  That’s why Danno’s gotta go find him.  He needs my help, and I’m gonna bring him home.” 

A couple tears started to streak their way down Gracie’s cheeks, and Danny reached over to wipe them away with his thumb, “Hey Monkey, don’t cry.  Everything’s gonna be okay alright?  You know what he told me right before I left? He said, tell Gracie her Uncle Steve loves her.” 

She smiled, “I love him too,” she thought for a moment, “I can stay at Lucy’s until you come home.  Her mom said I could sleep over whenever I wanted.” 

Figures Grace would be thinking ahead, trying to make things easier for her Danno.  Smiling, Danny pulled her closer to him, giving her a big squeeze. 

                “I’ll bring you over there tonight.  I’m leaving tomorrow morning, hopefully I’ll be home by Wednesday night.” 

Grace wrapped her arms around Danny’s middle and hugged him tight, “I know you’ll bring Uncle Steve home Danno.   You love him, you love him like Westly loves Princess Buttercup.” 

Danny chuckled, thinking about the movie night they’d had a couple weeks before when it was Danny’s weekend to have Grace.  Uncle Steve had never seen it before and it was a Williams family favorite. 

                “Yeah Gracie, I do.” 


	4. Tuesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They find Steve, movies are quoted, Lori gets the message, and there are some sweet sweet McDanno cuddles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a little short but I was writing a long chapter and realized I had made it to Wednesday and had to cut this chapter off here bc this chapter is tuesday lol. I hope y'all like it!

They had shot Jenna.

  _Wo Fat_ had shot Jenna, one bullet, right through her chest.  She’d never had the chance she thought she had.  Despite her betrayal Steve’s heart sunk when he watched her die.  Her motives were something he could sympathize with, and he’d been angry, hell he’d been _livid_ because she’d most definitely ended his life and taken everything he loved away from him on the off chance that her fiancé was alive. 

_But_ , he understood.  Hell, he might have done the same thing if it had been for Danny.

The worst of it was that it had all been for nothing, that’s what hurt the most.  Her fiancé had been dead for weeks and Steve had risked his life for an endeavor that was doomed from the beginning.  And now, after a valiant effort to escape, his wrists and ankles were once again tied, and he was barely conscious in the back of a truck driving through the thick forest of North Korea.  He was trying to ignore the pain that was erupting in just about every part of his body so that sleep could take him. 

It would be a little better if he could sleep, if he could _dream_ , at least that way he could be with Danny one more time before everything ended. 

Then the truck stopped.  It had been a while, they’d been driving for at least an hour, maybe more.  He wasn’t sure, his sense of time was rather skewed by the pounding in his skull and the fuzziness in his thoughts. 

It had been a sudden stop that startled him, and he gasped involuntarily.  That sharp intake of breath pushed a moan out of him, a couple of his ribs were bruised, maybe broken.  Steve didn’t even have the energy to wonder about why they had stopped which added to the confusion he felt when the flap of the truck bed he was sitting in opened and daylight blinded him. 

He blinked rapidly, trying to help his eyes adjust, and when they finally did and the image of the person in front of him sharpened he was almost positive that he was dreaming because Detective Danny Williams was looking at him. 

                “Hey, it’s Steve!” the blonde man shouted, “It’s Steve! He’s alive!” 

_Maybe I’m not alive_ , Steve thought, _maybe I’m dreaming this.  Maybe I’m dead._

Dream Danny hopped into the truck with ease, slinging the gun he was holding around his shoulder and reaching for him.  Steve didn’t expect to _feel_ Danny’s touch on him, like it wasn’t a dream, like he was really being saved…

                “Danny?” Danny was untying his wrists.  _How had they gotten past Wo Fat and his men?_ “Where’s Wo Fat?”

                “Just shut up, would you?” Danny asked, looking into his eyes for just a moment before looking back down to continue freeing Steve from his restraints, “Come on, come on, come on…”

Danny was rushing.  They weren’t in the clear yet.  Joe White and Chin Ho came into the view at the end of the truck bed.  Relief, worry, and urgency crossing their normally stoic features. 

They got him out of the truck.  Chin on one side and Danny on the other, supporting most of his weight.  Joe was leading them to a clearing and he could already hear the helicopter making its way towards them.  His shirt was drenched in sweat and blood and tears, ripped open, revealing wounds and dried blood on his torso.  His feet were bare, but he found himself running to the helicopter, Danny and Chin’s support fueling his desire to go home. 

Then out of nowhere Lori sprung from the copter and embraced him.  He liked Lori a lot—not in the way he was sure she felt about him—but the hug was pleasant just the same.  A comforting touch was something Steve never thought he’d experience again. 

He wished he could hug Danny that way.  He wanted to curl up in Danny’s arms and never leave.

 Joe lifted him under his armpits into the helicopter, so he was leaning against the older man’s knees.  Danny sat next to Joe, close to Steve, but not close enough for comfort.  The entire ride in the chopper had been almost relaxing.  Chin announced his engagement and Steve was more than honored to accept his request for him to be his best man. 

Joe had a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it from behind.  Letting him know he was safe.  Steve couldn’t help but smile.  A grin was splitting his face wide open because he honestly thought he was going to die in that truck bed, in bumfuck no where North Korea. 

But he didn’t.  They’d saved him.  _Danny_ saved him. 

Touching down in South Korea after about a half hour flight he was starting to feel the brunt of his injuries.  He could barely move, the skin on his face was stiff with sticky dried blood and he couldn’t breath properly without wincing. 

Danny and Chin helped him into a jeep behind the one Lori and Joe had just gotten into. 

                “Can we go home now?” he croaked out a few minutes into their drive. 

Danny looked over at him.  The blonde detective had gotten into the back of the jeep with him while Chin drove. 

                “Not quite,” Steve felt Danny’s hand rest on his knee, “We’ve got a flight bright an early tomorrow morning that gets us out of this shithole, but we’ve gotta get you cleaned up first.” 

                “M’ not goin’ to a hospital here,” he grumbled, there was no way in hell that was happening. 

Chin chuckled and rose his eyebrows at him in the rear-view mirror, “Danny knew you were gonna say that.” 

                “He’s right.  I did.” Danny smiled softly, “Which is why one of the navy guys Joe recruited is well equipped in first aid and will be attending to your wounds when we get to a hotel.” 

Steve’s mouth turned up at the corner just a little, “Fine.” 

Danny patted his lap with his hand, “Lay down, we’ve got another hour to go in this jeep, you might as well rest.” 

He didn’t need to be asked twice.

  He was exhausted, mentally and physically, and there was no way he would turn down using his best friend’s lap as a pillow.  Danny helped him turn his body, so he could easily lean down and rest his head on his partner’s thighs.  Sighing contentedly at the human contact he nuzzled his face into the crook of Danny’s hip.  Danny’s arm came down to rest on his shoulder and his other hand interlocked with Steve’s. 

Steve fell asleep immediately and was being nudged awake much too soon.  He had to try hard to pry his eye lids open and when he did his vision took a moment to clear.  Danny’s face came into view, he was looking down at Steve, slight concern crossing his features.  The sun was low in the sky where they were in South Korea, it was early evening, and it made Danny’s skin glow.  Steve thought he looked like an angel. 

                “Wake up, Steve.  We’re at the hotel.  You need to get cleaned up and taken care of, so you can sleep more.” 

Steve’s brows furrowed slightly as Danny and Chin helped him into a sitting position.  Lori and Joe were walking over to them as Danny and Chin held onto him while he got onto his feet.  The SEAL that would be looking at his injuries was waiting in front of the hotel room door that was ground level just across from where they had parked. 

Danny moved to step away and release Steve, but the Lieutenant Commander hardened his grip on the blonde man. 

                “Danno, don—don’t leave.” 

Danny smiled softly, “As you wish, Steven.” 

He stayed huddled close to his partner, leaning heavily on Danny’s shoulders as Lori and Joe embraced him gently, letting him know he’d see them in the morning. 

The navy SEAL that followed them into the hotel room was quiet, his name was Benjamin, and he silently worked over Steve.  First checking his head wound and fractured ribs and then moving to clean some of the larger cuts that littered his torso.  Once his injuries were taken care of Benjamin excused himself leaving Steve sitting on the edge of one of the double beds and Danny leaning against a wall looking down at his friend. 

                “Think you can manage a shower by yourself, there SuperSEAL?” 

Steve snorted, “Pretty sure I can swing it, but be on stand by incase I need you to wash my hair.” 

Danny grinned, “Deal.” 

When Steve stepped into the shower and the hot water hit his skin he felt like he could finally relax.  The water and steam washed away the grime, and the blood, and the fear he’d felt when he had realized he probably going to die. 

Danny and the rest of them had rescued him from Wo Fat, and _now_ Danny was waiting on the other side of this bathroom.  Steve was so happy to be with Danny again that he was finding it hard to care that Wo Fat got away. 

Grateful that the shower was narrow enough for him to lean on the wall and stay under the spray of the water he stiffly and gently cleaned his body.  Despite how much he had wanted to take Danny up on his offer for assistance in washing his hair he knew the shower was too small.  He also knew that even though he’d had an epically emotionally and physically draining couple of days he would genuinely not be able to hide his attraction to the other man if they were in a shower together. 

Steve was planning on telling Danny how he felt but now didn’t feel like the right time, not for the words anyways.  He was pretty sure he’d made himself clear when he hadn’t let go of Danny since he’d arrived.  That could be misconstrued because of trauma and torture, but Steve had had worse.  He supposed it was a combination of both.  

Stepping out of the shower and drying himself off he slid on the t-shirt and sweatpants that Danny had brought for him and walked over to the bed Danny was lying on.  His partner was flipping through a magazine that he most likely grabbed from the table between the beds. 

                “You, uh, read Korean, Danno?” 

 Danny huffed and squinted up at him, “Maybe I do, you don’t know.”

Chuckling, Steve made his way to the other bed and slowly scooted his body under the blankets before resting his head on the pillow.  He let out a big sigh, letting his body relax into the mediocre hotel mattress. 

                “Hey,” he turned to see Danny looking at him, “You okay?” 

                “Yeah,” he smiled, “I’m okay.  Or I will be.  I’m stiff and sore but I’ve had worse, I’ll be alright.” 

                “Oh, well that’s reassuring.  I _love_ knowing that you’ve done this whole kidnapped and torture thing before.  That it was worse that time so _this_ time?  No big deal.” 

Steve looked at Danny, “ _I’m okay_.” 

Nodding, somewhat satisfied with Steve’s response, Danny flicked the lamp off, “Get some sleep.  You need it and the flight is early tomorrow morning.” 

Physically, Steve was pretty sure his body had already fallen asleep, but mentally?  He couldn’t help seeing what he saw when he was strung up from those rafters.  Flashes of memory that he was holding onto because he thought he was going to die.  Because he thought he’d never see Danny and Grace ever again. 

Staring up at the ceiling he tried slowing his breathing to calm himself down.  He knew Danny was there with him, but it was difficult to believe after accepting his death that had never come.  Looking over at the other bed he could just barely see Danny’s silhouette. 

                “Danno?” 

There was silence for just a moment before Danny responded, “Yeah?” 

                “Would you—could you maybe just, come over here?” 

His voice cracked slightly as he whispered into the darkness and he heard Danny sit up in bed, “As you wish.” 

Danny had said that before, when Steve had asked him not to leave earlier. He recognized the phrase, but he couldn’t place it.  Danny slid into Steve’s bed just behind him and gently slung an arm across his chest, making sure he didn’t touch Steve’s ribs, and crooked his legs to bend around Steve’s lower half. 

Steve turned his body so that he could press his face into Danny’s neck and curl his arms against Danny’s chest. 

                “I thought I was gonna die, Danny.” 

                “What?” Danny looked down at Steve as best he could and tightened his hold on the navy SEAL. 

Steve nodded, “I thought I was going to die.  I had accepted it.  I thought I was never going to see you or Gracie again.”

Steve didn’t know when he started crying but he was, it hurt his head and his ribs, but he couldn’t stop. 

                “Hey, hey,” Danny soothed, running a hand up and down his back and placing a kiss to the top of his head, “You’re alive, babe.  We found you, and you’re gonna see as much of Gracie and I as you want, okay?” 

Nodding, he pressed closer to Danny, burying his face into the crook of Danny’s neck and shoulder, “Stay?”

He wasn’t sure if he meant stay in the bed or stay in general, but Danny just agreed without hesitation.

“As you wish.” 

It took Danny saying those words three times for Steve to finally recognize them.  As they drifted into sleep Steve remembered the movie night with Grace a couple of weeks back.  They had watched the Princess Bride.  Westley had spoken those words to Princess Buttercup over and over in the beginning, and the narrator let you in on the secret. 

‘As you wish’ didn’t just mean ‘As you wish’.  It also meant ‘I love you’.


	5. Wednesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUPER fluffy McDanno. Steve and Danny talk a lot of things out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys like this chapter!! there's a lot of dialogue and its really fluffy but itll be a nice transition chapter for the rest of the week i think!

Danny woke up when there was a soft knock at the hotel room door.  He was still holding Steve, who had buried himself in Danny’s embrace and was sleeping soundly.  Little huffs of Steve’s breath touched Danny’s throat repeatedly as Steve snored softly into his neck. 

Lori opened the door quietly and popped her head inside the room. 

                “Flight’s in a little less than an hour,” she whispered, noticing Steve in Danny’s arms still asleep. 

Danny nodded, “Thanks Lori, I’ll get him up.” 

The newest member to Five-0 looked like she wanted to say something else but cast her eyes downwards instead and shut the door. 

This whole Steve and Danny thing was new for her.  She hadn’t been with the team long enough to know that everyone knew there was _something_ going on between them.  Frankly, Danny was just as knew to this knowledge as she was because up until _very_ recently he was under the impression that his feelings were purely one-sided. 

Did he have that impression now?  Not so much. 

Even for being kidnapped and tortured, this type of all-night cuddling that had occurred was not the most platonic thing in the world, and he wasn’t complaining.  He’d slept better with Steve then he had alone in months. 

He nudged Steve gently, “Steve, babe, you gotta wake up.” 

Steve grumbled before shifting to snuggle into Danny more, then he moaned in pain.  Danny assumed he must have forgotten about his injuries in his sleepy state. 

                “Danno?” Steve asked looking up at Danny and Danny smiled. 

“Yeah, I’m right here.  You gotta get up and you gotta be careful, you big goof.  You’ve got a plethora of injuries that need to be attended to properly when we get home, so don’t make them worse.” 

“Plethora?” 

Danny shrugged, “It’s a good word.  I refuse to take it back.” 

Steve smiled at that and it lit Danny up inside.  It was amazing to see the man he loved smile like that after what he’d been through, and it was even more amazing because he’d been the one to cause it. 

 Steve needed to support some of his weight on Danny as he walked around.  Danny helped him to the sink in the bathroom to brush his teeth and then to the jeep where Chin, Joe, Lori, and SEAL team 9 were waiting. 

                “Do you want some crutches, Steve?” Chin asked. 

Danny looked up to see Steve shake his head, “Nah, Danny’s a good enough crutch,” the grin that split Steve’s face open as he joked with Chin made everyone smile. 

                “Good _enough_?” he asked, “I am _better_ than any crutch.” 

They all laughed at Danny’s words as they helped Steve into the jeep and Steve snorted, “You’re right.  Crutches don’t cuddle with you or help you brush your teeth in the morning.” 

Ignoring the raised eyebrow that he received from Joe and the knowing look he received from Chin he shrugged, “You’re damn right they don’t.” 

 _Well,_ Danny thought, _that was new._

Steve just told all of SEAL team 9 and their coworkers that they had cuddled, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that.  It was nice to know that his partner felt comfortable enough to share that information with everyone and it made Steve’s possible feelings seem even more possible, _but_ nothing was near solid yet.  He didn’t know what was happening between them, what _might_ happen between them. 

The plane ride certainly helped Danny imagine what their future might be like.  Steve had always been a touchy person, he really shouldn’t be surprised by the affection the SEAL showed him, and the long flight back to Hawaii was apparently no different. 

It was a cargo plane that was piloted by a friend of Joe’s and the seats were everything but comfortable.  They had gotten a cot for Steve to lay in.  Danny sat next to the cot and Chin next to him while Joe and Lori sat across from them.  About ten minutes into the flight Steve reached over and grabbed Danny’s hand. 

Danny raised an eyebrow at him in question but only received a wide smile in return.  He should’ve known that once he’d initiated contact Steve wouldn’t be shy about the rest.  Not to mention he’d essentially told Steve he was in love with him three different times the night before. 

He couldn’t be sure if Steve had recognized the cheesy, romantic movie reference that he’d been making, but he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since Grace had compared he and Steve’s love to Westley and Princess Buttercup’s.  Right now, all that mattered was that he was bringing Steve home. 

Finally, when they landed in Oahu and brought Steve to Tripler, Danny allowed himself to feel some anger. 

He was listening to Steve’s doctor tell them that his partner had two fractured ribs, a concussion, eight stitches in his forehead, and they were currently doing an EKG to see if Steve had suffered damage to his heart because _apparently_ Wo Fat had _electrocuted_ him. 

Danny walked into Steve’s hospital room to find the Lieutenant Commander sitting on the edge of the hospital bed still in the sweats with his t-shirt discarded next to him.  His bare feet were just touching the tile and a nurse was plucking suction cups with wires attached to them from Steve’s chest. 

                “Hey Danno,” Steve smiled at him, but it soon faded.  Danny knew the expression on his face was not a good one, “Danno?” 

                “Don’t you _Danno_ me.” Danny grumbled, pushing past the nurse who left quietly and poking his friend hard in the chest, “ _You_ are _insane_.” 

                “Danny what is going on—?” 

                “It took me a while okay?” Danny said pacing in front of Steve, “I was so worried about you, about getting you home and making sure you were okay that I didn’t get a chance to process.  I’m _processing_.” 

Steve rose an eyebrow, “You’re processing?  Processing what?” 

                “My _anger._   You just up and head to North fucking Korea because some girl you’ve known for six months needs your help and guess what?  _It was a trap_ , so now, I’m rushing around this god forsaken island trying to figure out how to get to North fucking Korea to _save_ you and I don’t even know if you’re alive!  What the hell, Steven?!” 

Danny could feel a vein in his neck starting to pop and a few pieces of his hair fell into his eyes and he pushed it back. 

                “Danny I’m sorry I—”

He didn’t let Steve finish, “ _Don’t_ apologize you animal, just promise me you will _not_ do that to me again.  I—I can’t—I would very much like to not experience the fear and sadness that I felt when I thought that you might not be coming home, okay?  I cannot, no, I _will_ not sit Grace down and tell her that I have to go find you, not again.” 

Danny stopped pacing and stood with his hands on his hips in front of the injured man waiting for an answer. 

Steve looked up with the slightest of smiles gracing his features, “As you wish.” 

Who knew three words could actually stop Daniel Williams from speaking.  The air was pushed from his lungs and he smiled widely. 

                “Yeah?” he asked Steve. 

                “Yeah,” Steve nodded. 

Clearing his throat and running his fingers through his hair, he shuffled his feet and hoped that he wasn’t blushing too much.  He hadn’t been expecting that sort of response at all.  He had been sure that Steve didn’t even recognize what he’d been referencing the night before. 

                “Okay.” 

                “Can we go home now?” Steve asked, “I really need a beer, and a Gracie hug.” 

Danny grinned, “Yes, you animal, we can go home.  We’ll pick Gracie up on the way.” 

A hug from his daughter could cure just about anything, physical and mental, Danny was aware of that.  He helped Steve into a wheelchair and wheeled him out to the car that he’d gone home to get while Steve was being looked at. 

Once Steve was in the passenger seat Danny hopped in and started the engine.  Once they were on the road Steve grabbed Danny’s free hand.  Danny thought it was the best part of the drive, aside from the fact that he was actually driving his own car. 

Grace and her friend Lucy were sitting in the grass of her friend’s front yard eating some sandwiches while Lucy’s mother sat on the porch and watched over them.  When the Camaro pulled up she squealed and was at the car before Danny could put it into park. 

                “Danno! Uncle Steve!” 

Danny caught her in his arms as he walked around to the passenger side of the car.  They gave Steve enough space to slowly get out and Danny bent down to look at his daughter.

 “Hey Monkey, Uncle Steve really needs one of your magical hugs but you’ve gotta be gentle, okay?  He’s a little banged up.” 

Grace nodded and turned towards Steve, tears were fighting to spill over onto her cheeks, “I’m so glad you’re okay Uncle Steve.  I love you.” 

She leapt into Steve’s arms.  Danny saw him wince slightly, but he shook his head discretely at Danny to let him know that the hug was worth whatever pain he was feeling.  Danny’s heart felt like it was going to snap in two, and he was pretty sure Steve was holding back his own tears. 

                “I love you too, Gracie.” Steve grumbled into her hair, “I’m sorry I worried you, but Danno and Uncle Chin got me home safe and sound.” 

Grace sat in Steve’s lap on the way back to the McGarrett home and barely left his side.  Danny couldn’t blame her, he was practically attached to his partner’s hip as well. 

It was late evening by the time they got home, got the beers out, and were out on the lanai.  Grace had fallen asleep curled up on her Uncle Steve and Danny snapped a picture, much to Steve’s dismay.  He didn’t care though, he loved his daughter and he loved Steve, having photos of them together was something precious to him. 

                “I can’t believe its only been two days,” Danny finally said, sipping from his longboard and looking out at the ocean. 

                “What do you mean?” Steve asked quietly, making sure not to wake Grace. 

Danny looked over at him, the sunset hid most of the injuries on Steve’s face and let his tanned skin glow.  He stared for longer then necessary, but Steve didn’t complain he just stared back.  Danny could look at him for hours. 

                “I just meant that you left for Korea two days ago, babe.  All of this happened, yet its only been two days.  So much can change in that amount of time.”  _Relationships can change_ , Danny added in his mind. 

                “That’s for sure,” Steve replied, he took a sip of his own beer and looked over at Danny, “Sometimes things happen for a reason, Danno.  Sometimes it takes life altering events to give people the courage to be honest.” 

Danny squinted at him a little and looked down at his own feet in the sand, “You’re damn right.”

                “Danny?” 

He looked up at Steve.  The SEAL’s eyes matched the dark waves in front of them, they were curious and deep. 

                “Let’s be honest.  You know what’s going on here?” Danny asked. 

He might as well just go for it the only way he knew how, _talking_. 

                “Between us?” Danny asked again, motioning with his hand, “Because I’m like 95% sure of what’s going on and I’m god damn ecstatic about it, _but_ I need you to confirm what I’m saying Steven.  I need that other 5%, you got that other 5%?  If you don’t have that other 5% then I need to know _now_ , because Grace is attached and hell _I’m_ attached, and I can’t start something like this when there isn’t a 100% guarantee.  This is a forever type deal Steven, okay?  That’s how I’m seeing this and if it’s not in that lane for you then it needs to end now bec—”  

                “Danno,” Steve interrupted, “Shut up for a second.” 

                “Okay,” Danny whispered, seeing Steve’s fond smile eased his heart a little bit. 

                “Listen to me, Daniel,” Steve looked him dead in the eyes, “I’m giving you my 115% guarantee.  Shit, you don’t even need it because there’s nothing that needs a guarantee.  How I feel?  It’s set in stone Danno, and forever sounds pretty damn good to me.” 

                “Seriously?”

Steve rolled his eyes, “Yes, seriously.  Are you hard of hearing?  Princess Buttercup needs her Westley, Danny, I’m not about to keep him from her.” 

                “ _Excuse me?_ ” Danny asked, raising his eyebrows, and trying to remove the smile from his face because he was so damn happy but there is no way he is Princess Buttercup.

 “There is _no way_ I am Princess Buttercup, McGarrett.  _You_ are Princess Buttercup, I said the words first and I rescued _you._   Plus, Gracie already confirmed that I’m Westley.” 

It was Steve’s turn to raise his eyebrows, “Is that so?” 

                “Yes, it is.  You can’t argue this Steve, its fact, so you’re just gonna have to deal, okay?” 

                “As you wish.” 

-x-

Later that night after Grace went to bed Steve and Danny were sitting on the living room couch.  Danny was eating all the pizza crusts that Grace put back into the box and Steve had his head in Danny’s lap and was stretched out because the doctor had ordered elevation of his entire injured body. 

                “I could probably survive on pizza crust alone.  It’s got the edge of the sauce and cheese and its crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  It’s the perfect snack,” Danny said. 

He ripped a bite from the crust in his left hand and carded the fingers of his right hand through Steve’s hair, who snorted, “You’d get fat, Danno.” 

                “There’s no way I could get fat because _you_ are insane, and I end up chasing you, chasing some armed criminal through the streets of Oahu.  With the amount of shit, you get us into?  I’m surprised I haven’t died from lung stress or something.” 

                “Not a thing,” Steve mumbled, Danny could hear the sleepiness in his voice. 

                “Steve, you need to go to bed.” 

                “You’ve gotta help me walk up the stairs.” 

                “Don’t get used to this.  Super SEAL will be back in no time and you _will_ be able to walk up the stairs on your own.” 

Steve leaned his head back to look up at Danny and gave him that stupid McGarrett grin that lights up his face and makes him look dopey at the same time. 

                “Come on,” Danny scooted up and pushed Steve’s head off his lap, “Let’s go yah big lug, you’re on my bed anyways and I’m tired.” 

                “What are you talking about?” 

                “The couch,” Danny explained, “Have you forgotten that I’ve been sleeping on your couch?”

He figured their routine would go back to normal.  At least for tonight, maybe even the next couple of weeks.  Sure, they’d talked about it, but they didn’t establish anything either.  Danny had no idea where Steve’s head was at and was still too chicken to ask, to be quite frank. 

                “Yeah, Danny, I remember,” Steve huffed, and slowly pulled himself into a sitting position, “But you’re not sleeping here anymore.” 

                “Oh, I’m not?” Danny asked, genuinely confused, “Where, pray tell, do you suggest I sleep?” 

There was a flutter of hope floating around in Danny’s chest as he watched Steve fumble around. 

                “My bed, obviously.” 

He felt his cheeks flush red and his eyebrows raise, “Oh, obviously.  I should have known.  Forgive me.” 

Steve reached both of his hands out to Danny who took them without a thought and pulled him into a standing position.  Danny looked up at Steve, their chests were almost touching, and he could feel Steve’s breath on his face.  His partner looked at him as if to ask, _why would you be sleeping anywhere else?_ And it made Danny fucking delirious with joy. 

                “If you think,” Steve said, placing both of his hands-on Danny’s shoulders, “That I am going to sleep _without_ you after last night then you’re crazy.” 

“ _I’m_ crazy?  You, Steven McGarrett are telling me that I’m crazy?”

                “Shut up and help me up the stairs.” 

Once Danny helped Steve up the stairs, into the bathroom and then into bed he went to Steve’s old room to retrieve his duffle of clothes.  Returning with the duffle in hand he fished out a pair of shorts to put on and his toothbrush. 

While brushing his teeth he looked at himself in the mirror.  He looked exhausted, but he was smiling.  He couldn’t remember the last time he looked at himself and found that he was _already_ smiling. 

Just days ago, he was thinking about how sleeping on the couch of the man he was in love with was the high point of their relationship because his feelings were irrelevant and unrequited.  Now, he was about to get in bed with said man, presumably cuddle, and fall asleep with him after they subtly confessed their love for one another without actually _saying_ that they were in love. 

Bunching his clothes in his hands, he hesitated before stepping back into Steve’s room.  He was wearing shorts and donning a bare chest which normally would be no big deal, but he was about to cuddle with another bare-chested man.  He’d never done that, _ever._

Sure, he’d had his hook ups with men and women in the past, but never any cuddling that had the weight of real love behind it.  But when he did walk in and found Steve smiling at him from the bed all of his worries melted away. 

                “You look happy,” Steve rumbled. 

Danny shrugged, “Yesterday I thought you might be dead.  Today, you’re fucking alive, we’re back here on this god forsaken pineapple infested island, Grace is happy, and I’m about to get in bed with you and cuddle like its going out of style.  I’d be an idiot if I wasn’t.”

                “You’ve always had a way with words.” 

Raising an eyebrow Danny tossed his clothes on the duffle and placed his hands on his hips, “I can go back downstairs.” 

                “Please don’t.” 

He didn’t.  He climbed into bed with Steve who immediately scooted closer, wrapped on of his long legs across Danny’s hips and one of his long arms across Danny’s chest. 

                “I know that people call you navy guys ‘squids’ but that doesn’t mean you actually have to be one.” 

Steve nuzzled into the crook of Danny’s neck, “You like it.” 

                “Yeah well…”

                “I was serious you know.” 

Danny traced lazy circles into the skin of Steve’s lower back where his arm was wound around the larger man, “Huh?” 

                “Earlier.  I was serious, about us.” Steve craned his neck up to look into Danny’s eyes, “I know we haven’t talked particulars, but I want to be with you Danny.  The only future I see for me is one with you and Gracie in it, and sure if that means being your friend then I’m fine with it but now that I know that there’s something more?  I want it, Danno.  All of it.” 

                “All of it?” Danny asked, “You want my negative fatalistic attitude, and my grumpy mornings, and PTA meetings?  Dealing with Rachel?” 

                “You’re attitude I’ve been dealing with since you punched me in the face, grumpy mornings?  I’ve literally witnessed you dump a five-hour energy into an instant coffee you got from a cheap gas station the morning after a stakeout and then had to prevent you from criminally harassing the middle-aged lady that looked at you wrong afterwards, got that one down pat.” 

Danny laughed, the memory flashing into his mind.  He hadn’t gotten any sleep, Rachel had been trying to limit his visitation, and that lady had really bothered him.

                “PTA meetings?” Steve went on, “I bet I’d love them.  Teachers really dig me.  And Rachel?  Fuck Rachel, honestly.  How’s she gonna compete with a successful homicide detective and a highly decorated navy SEAL?” 

                “I guess you’ve got a point.” 

Danny pushed his face into Steve’s hair.  He couldn’t hide the smile that was hurting his cheeks or the blush that was creeping up his neck. 

                “I’m all in too,” Danny mumbled, Steve’s hair smelled like strawberry shampoo, “Through all of it.  I mean hell, I already deal with your innate ability to almost kill yourself all the time, you’re morning routine is obnoxious but endearing, and until I met you I had never known anyone to love Gracie the way I do.” 

He felt Steve smile into his chest.

                “Not long after we met you let me bring Grace here to play on the beach in your back yard.  You uh, you found a crab and you picked it up and started teaching her about it, teaching her how to respect the wildlife around you like the good boy scout that you are.  She looked up at you Steve, with this look and I just knew I was done for.  She looked at you the way that she looked at me, and I’d never seen her look at anyone else like that before.  Right then, I knew I’d fallen for you, and I thought shit Danny, you would have it bad for your boss, you poor shmuck.”    

                “I knew when you brought Gracie to the Kukui High football game.  Watching you with her, being a dad, it was special.  I didn’t realize what my feelings meant at the time.  To be honest I didn’t know what I was feeling until Kono talked some sense into me.  When I went for that run a couple days ago?  It all hit me like a tank.” 

Danny laughed, he didn’t know what to say so he just kissed the top of Steve’s head. 

                “You know,” Steve chuckled, “The first night Gracie stayed here she asked me why you weren’t sleeping in here with me.” 

                “She did?”  Danny laughed, “That monkey is too smart for her own good.  She’s known for a while, about my feelings for you.  I never told her, but she reads me like a book.” 

                “She saw right through me too, Danno.” 

They grew quiet for a little while and Danny thought Steve had fallen asleep until he felt his partner kiss his chest gently.  It wasn’t sensual in any way it was just full of so much feeling.  It was an honest kiss. 

                “I want to do this right,” Danny whispered. 

                “What do you mean?” 

Danny shrugged, “Us.  I wanna take things a little slow.  I don’t want to rush anything.” 

Steve nodded, “Whatever you want Danno.  We’ve got all the time in the world, I’m not going anywhere.” 


	6. Thursday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace and Danny help Steve with his recovery, Danny gets used to this knew thing that he and Steve have, and thinks things don't need to move as slowly as he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all like this chapter! Let me know what you think/any plot points you want me to add or elaborate on!

Danny woke up to an empty bed.  Creaking his eyes open, he rubbed them blearily.  He hadn’t slept all the way through the night like that in longer then he could remember. Steve’s side of the bed was vacant, but it was still warm, and he could hear someone moving around in the bathroom.  _It’s gotta be early_ , squinting he glanced at the clock on Steve’s nightstand—6:27 am. 

                “Danny?” Steve rumbled from the bathroom doorway, “Why’re you awake?” 

He shrugged, “I dunno, jus’ woke up.”

Steve was still in just his boxers and the bruising on his torso and face were illuminated by the florescent bathroom light beaming into the room.  The sun was shut out by the curtains, but Danny could see it trying to peak through. 

                “Come on,” Steve said, crawling back into bed, “Let’s go back to sleep.” 

Danny nuzzled into Steve when his partner was finally stretched out next to him again, “You mean you’re not gonna go for a swim, army boy?”

He felt the grumble in Steve’s chest when he said army instead of navy but SuperSEAL decided to ignore it.  Chuckling, Steve shrugged.

                “I think I’m a little too sore for that today.” 

                “No shit,” Danny snorted. 

They were quiet for a little while, but they didn’t fall back to sleep.  Danny could tell Steve had something on his mind, he could feel the wheels in that McGarrett brain churning, clanking around in that thick Neanderthal skull.

                “Steve…”

                “Hmm?”

Danny glanced up as much as he could with his face still pressed into the taller man’s chest, “You’re thinking too loud.  Spit it out, would yah?” 

He watched a small smile grow on the SEAL’s lips but his eyes didn’t open, “I’m _really_ happy,”

                “Is there a but coming or…?”

Steve shook his head, “Nope.  I just don’t remember the last time I was this happy, that’s all.” 

Smirking against his partner’s chest he tangled a leg with Steve’s, “I get that.  I’ve been a miserable schmuck for too long,”

 Danny chuckled; he had been so unhappy when he was forced to move to Hawaii to maintain a relationship with his daughter and even more unhappy when he joined a police department that ostracized him. 

Steve laughed, “Yeah, I remember Chin telling me about the haole assigned to my dad’s case, _and then_ I met this firey, grumpy,…short,”

Danny poked Steve gently where he wasn’t bruised, which honestly not a lot of places, and the taller man actually giggled. 

                “This firey, grumpy, short, Jersey cop that tried to kick me out of my own damn house.” 

And then he met Steve, who agitated him to no fucking end, but _physically_ searched him out because he saw his potential, he saw that Danny was a good cop.  That’s when everything changed. 

                “To be fair, it was a crime scene, _my_ crime scene, and you were tampering with evidence.  We’ve been over this.” 

He could feel Steve roll his eyes before pulling him closer—as if that was even possible considering Danny’s face was smushed into Steve’s chest—and then kissed the top of Danny’s head. 

Danny was starting to regain his sleepiness when he felt Steve move around a little and then swear under his breath. 

                “Steven, be careful, jesus—”

                “No Danny, I’m fine, I just looked at the clock.  It’s 7, Gracie needs to be at school in an hour.” 

He shook his head, “Don’t worry about it.  I told her she didn’t have to go to school today after she insisted that she could help me aid you in your recovery.” 

                “Seriously?” 

Danny sat up a little and looked at Steve, “Yeah, we just got home from a traumatic experience, she can stay home for a day.” 

                “No,” Steve grunted into a sitting position as well, “She wants to aid in my recovery?” 

Danny was a little thrown by Steve’s confusion, “Steve, when are you going to realize that my kid loves you?” 

The bruises on Steve’s face brightened and Danny was 90% sure that he was blushing under all those blemishes. 

-x-

They didn’t end up going back to sleep, so Danny got up and made coffee while Steve wrangled up the energy to walk down the stairs.  It was almost eight in the morning when Grace finally woke up and trudged her way into the kitchen. 

Steve and Danny were sitting particularly close to one another at the counter as they ate their breakfast and Danny could feel his daughter eyeing them suspiciously. 

                “Morning Monkey,”

Grace got some orange juice from the fridge and a bowl for cereal before looking at them, “Morning Danno, Uncle Steve did you take your medicine?”

Danny hid his smile behind his coffee mug and watched Steve out of the corner of his eye.  His partner smiled at his daughter fondly, “Of course Gracie, just took em’.” 

                “Good job,” she mumbled through a spoonful of raisin bran, “You have to take it every four hours and you need to ice your ribs a couple times today.” 

Steve sat up a little straighter and saluted her, “Yes ma’am.”

Danny couldn’t hold in his chuckle.  The way that Steve was with his daughter was something special to experience.  As the father of this little girl and the one who loves Steve it literally couldn’t make him happier to see the two of them get along. 

Grace followed Steve around all morning, mimicking the attitude of a loyal golden retriever.  She fetched him cups of water, snacks, his cell phone if he wanted it, etc.  Danny probably couldn’t have helped Steve if he wanted to because Grace was beating him to it. 

They were sitting out on the lanai, and at Grace’s command Danny had helped Steve into the hammock where he promptly fell asleep, barricaded by pillows to accommodate his injuries. 

Danny had pulled Grace into his lap and was finishing a chapter in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets when she looked up at him. 

                “Danno?” 

                “What’s up, Monkey?” 

She tucked her head into the crook of Danny’s neck, “Uncle Steve was in danger before, wasn’t he?” 

Sighing heavily, he nodded and gave her a squeeze, “Yeah Monkey, he was.  But we got him home safe and sound, you don’t have to worry anymore, okay?” 

                “I know.  He doesn’t seem sad about what happened.” 

Danny didn’t know why his daughter’s observation skills were always a surprise to him, she was raised by a detective after all. 

                “Well,” he hesitated, unsure of how to tell his eight-year-old daughter about how her Uncle Steve used to kill bad guys for a living, “As you know, Uncle Steve is a Navy SEAL.  Before he came back to Hawaii and started five-0 he chased bad guys around the world and _sometimes_ he would end up in situations that were kinda like the one where Uncle Chin and Auntie Kono and I had to save him.” 

Looking down to see her reaction he saw her squint out at the ocean while she thought for a moment, “So, Uncle Steve is kind of like Captain America.  He’s a super hero but he still needs help from Bucky and the other guys in his army.” 

                “Yeah Monkey, just like Captain America.  Where’d you learn about him?”

Grace shrugged, “There are some annoying boys at school and _all_ they talk about is Captain America.  I just remembered what they said.” 

                “As long as they’re annoying,” Danny grumbled.

When Steve woke up Danny helped him out of the hammock and Steve tossed an arm around Danny’s shoulders as they walked inside.  Without thinking Danny slipped his arm around Steve’s waist to help support his friend but the grin that Steve gave him was not one he was expecting. 

                “Ooooh, Danno, take me out to dinner first, geez.” 

Danny felt his cheeks burn pink, “First of all, my arm isn’t even that low, and _second_ , don’t make innuendos in ear shot of my daughter, you animal.”

                “Sorry,” Steve smiled sheepishly, “I’ve been waiting for a chance to flirt shamelessly with you.” 

Rolling his eyes, he helped Steve onto a stool in the kitchen before grabbing two beers and leaned on the counter while Grace followed in behind them asking about lunch.

                “I’ll make some sandwiches right now, okay Monkey?” 

She nodded, “Uncle Steve, do you need anything?” 

He shook his head, “I think I’m in good hands with Danno here,” and then he winked, and Danny was pretty sure his knees buckled. 

Grace cackled when Danny looked to her with wide eyes before skipping up the stairs to her room after telling Steve to shout if he needed her. 

                “Do you think she heard us talking about innuendos?” Danny asked turning to Steve who just shrugged, “Steve???”

                “Danny, I doubt she heard me, and even if she did it was just a joke…mostly.” 

Danny peaked at Steve around the open refrigerator door and rose his eyebrow, “You want me to take you to dinner?” 

It was Steve’s turn to blush as Danny began to work on the sandwiches and he couldn’t help but laugh at the flustered SEAL. 

                “You alright there, Smooth dog?” 

Steve glared at him for a moment before looking down at his hands, “I wasn’t sure if you’d want to, you know, date and stuff?” 

Of all the things that he _didn’t_ expect Steven J. McGarrett to say to him, that wasn’t even on the list.  How could Steve be having doubts after all that they’d talked about? 

                “Are you serious right now?”

Steve nodded.

Danny stopped what he was doing with the sandwiches and leaned his hands on the counter before looking right at Steve.

“Steve, are you genuinely asking me that question after all that we have talked about in the past two days?  We _literally_ confessed our love to each other and you are saying that you weren’t _sure_ if I’d wanna go on dates with you?  Are you _shitting_ me?”   

A weird embarrassed chuckle escaped from Steve and he shook his head, “I dunno, man.  I just—” Danny watched him pinch the bridge of his nose and look up at him through his stupidly long eyelashes, “I mean, I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been with—well I have but I’ve never been _with_ a guy, in like a serious relationship before?  I’ve barely ever had a serious relationship period.  Catherine was the most serious girlfriend I’ve had, and I didn’t even consider her my girlfriend and I just wasn’t sure where you stood on that and I didn’—”

Danny cut him off because he was rambling worse than him and it really didn’t suit him the way it suited Danny. 

                “Steve, shut up for a second.” 

Steve stopped talking and took a deep breath. 

                “Obviously, I’ve been in serious relationships.  I was fucking married, _but_ , this is new for me too.  I’ve been with guys, I had a lot of flings in college, but I’ve never had a serious boyfriend either.  You’re not alone, but we can get through this together okay?” 

Steve smiled at him, “That was oddly positive of you Daniel.” 

He glared at Steve before continuing to make the sandwiches, “I’ve been feeling positive since I found out my feelings for you are more then unrequited.” 

                “I’m sorry it took me so long to get my head out of my ass.”

Danny laughed and handed Steve his sandwich, “Apology accepted as long as you send Kono a thank you card, because she’s the one who yanked your head out of your ass if you ask me.” 

-x-

The rest of the afternoon went by much faster then Danny anticipated.  When he wasn’t helping Grace take care of Steve, which was a lot of the time, there was an enormous amount of tension between the two men. 

There had always been tension between them, but Danny had always chalked that up to his supposedly one-sided feelings for the Navy SEAL.  Now, though?  Now that he knew Steve returned his feelings, taking things slow was a lot harder then he had anticipated. 

Having Grace in the room always helped because she always captured both of their attention and the idea of having any sort of sexual feelings towards anyone with Grace in the room always made Danny want to vomit. 

But Grace had school in the morning which meant she went to bed early, which in turn left Danny and Steve alone on the first floor of Steve’s house for the first time since they had gotten back from Korea—since they had admitted their feelings, besides the night they got back and slept in bed together, too tired to do much of anything besides talk. 

Danny heard the back door open and shut as he walked down the stairs from putting Grace to bed.  Steve was making his way out onto the lanai with two beers, so Danny followed him out there.  The moon was hiding tonight leaving the stars alone in the sky, only the slightest of light was allowing Danny to see Steve climb into the hammock. 

                “Think you could finagle your way into this thing with me?” Steve asked when he noticed Danny walking towards him. 

                “I do, and I will as long as it doesn’t snap under our weight.” 

He took a swallow from the beer Steve handed him.  Steve squinted up at him, “Is that a fat joke?”

Danny rolled his eyes, “No you goof.  That is a ‘we are two grown men’ joke.  Scooch over.” 

With about as much grace as a gorilla in a bookstore Danny managed to get into the hammock without hurting Steve.  He set his beer on the ground next to him and slid into Steve’s arms like a puzzle piece. 

He’d always been a little self-conscious about his size, ever since he stopped growing at fourteen, but he made up for it with his broad stature and scrappy attitude.  He got in a fight with a junior on the football team his freshmen year and beat him to a pulp, earning him a two-week suspension and unwavering respect. 

Currently however, curled into Steven McGarrett’s long arms and nuzzling his face into Steven McGarrett’s large chest he wasn’t one to complain about being the smaller of two—not that he’d ever admit that to anyone, _especially_ Steve. 

So much had happened in the past few days with getting Steve back from Korea that Danny really hadn’t had a lot time to think about this new thing between them.  Sure, he’d thought about it in a fleeting surge of happiness and adrenaline kind of way, but they’d only really talked about things once and all Danny said was that he wanted to ‘take things slow’. 

Laying in this hammock tucked into Steve he genuinely couldn’t remember why he’d wanted to take things slow.  He knew it had to do with his failed marriage, and wanting to do things right, but he and Steve had been doing things right since they met.  Why would anything change now? 

                “Hey,” Steve nuzzled the top of Danny’s head with his nose, “You’re awfully quiet, everything okay?”

                “Yeah,” Danny smiled up at him, “Sorry, I was just thinking about some stuff.” 

                “Were you possibly thinking about how nice this is?  Because that’s what I was thinking.” 

Danny grinned, and the hammock swayed gently in the breeze coming off the ocean, “Something along those lines, yes.” 

                “Care to elaborate?” 

                “Is that even a question?  _Of course,_ I’m going to elaborate.” 

The chuckle that came from deep inside Steve’s chest sent a shiver down Danny’s spine and he attempted to pull Steve even closer then he already was. 

                “Remember last night when I told you I wanted to take things slow and you said we could move at whatever pace was comfortable?” 

Steve nodded, “Yes, I do.  I meant it, Danny—”

                “I know you did,” Danny interrupted, “And I do want to take things _a little_ slow because this situation is pretty damn new to both of us.  I was afraid of messing things up, not doing _this_ right.” 

                “But?”

                “But,” Danny answered, “Fuck Steve, as soon as I got you back and knew you were safe I haven’t been able to get you out of my head.” 

Steve grinned mischievously down at him, “Oh really?” 

Danny rolled his eyes, “Yes really, you big putz.  You’re, yah know,” Danny waved a hand around trying to find the words. 

                “I’m what?” Steve asked with a smile, “Spit it out, Danno.” 

                “You’re hot, okay?” Danny said looking at the trees above them instead of at his partner, “You’re really fucking hot and you’re my best friend, and we’ve been doing things right since you stole my crime scene and I don’t really know why I was worried in the first place, alright?  There, I said it.” 

He peeked at Steve out of the corner of his eye and found his big, tough, Navy SEAL blushing like a school girl.  That made Danny feel a little better. 

                “You’re blushing!” Danny prodded Steve in the not-bruised area of his ribs, “Look at that, I made Smooth Dog speechless.” 

                “I—I’m not,” Steve cleared his throat, “I’m not speechless.” 

                “Are too,” Danny teased, “I, Danny Williams, was able to successfully make Steve Super SEAL McGarrett speechle—”

Danny’s words were promptly swallowed down by Steve’s mouth when his partner leaned down and kissed his voice away. 

It was their first kiss and it was exponentially more amazing then he’d imagined it would be.  Steve clearly kissed the way he did everything else, extremely well and better then anyone Danny had ever met. 

Danny reached up the hand that wasn’t trapped between them to cup Steve’s jaw while his partner’s arms encircled him even more then he thought they could.  The kiss quickly went from sweet and tender to languid and heated, going from 0 to 60, another thing Steve McGarrett was particularly fond of doing. 

Steve was trying to turn over so that Danny was beneath him when the hammock tipped, and they fell to the ground beneath them in a tangle of limbs and a loud thud. 

Steve landed on top of Danny and the wind was pushed from him when his back hit the grass.  Groaning, Danny squeezed his eyes shut before opening them to find his partner staring down at him. 

                “Are you okay?” 

Steve was clearly concerned but all Danny could do was burst out laughing.  He practically cackled before reaching up to grab Steve’s neck and pull him down for another kiss.  This one was full of happiness and laughter and they smiled into each other, knocking teeth. 

                “We would fall out of a hammock during our first kiss,” Danny said sighing. 

                “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

Danny rose an eyebrow, “We almost shot each other the first time we met Steven.  It’s your fault, you Neanderthal.” 

Steve had settled on top of Danny in a rather comfortable position.  His hips were settled between Danny’s legs and his forearms rested in the grass on either side of Danny’s head.  He watched as Steve’s eyebrows drew together.

                “Whadda you mean, its _my_ fault? How?” 

Danny huffed before resting his hands behind his head, the dewy grass stuck to his skin, “Steve, you literally tipped us out of the hammock.  You’re so goddamn good at everything, including kissing, and it was fucking distracting and I let you tip us out of that thing.  You’re. Fault.” 

Steve ducked his head down to kiss Danny’s collar bone, “I’m not,” then his neck, “going to argue with you,” up his neck, “On that because,” behind his ear, “I love,” along his jaw, “That you think,” the tip of his chin, “I’m a good kisser.” 

Danny looked up at the stars and sighed one of those content sighs because Steve’s lips were like fire on his skin and he was literally powerless at this point.  There was no ounce of will power left in him, all he could do was release a groan from his throat and pull Steve in for another kiss. 

                “It is _so_ annoying how good you are that, and _incredibly_ dangerous.  Just another reason you’re going to be the death of me.” 

Danny expected a smirk of confidence in his direction but instead he received what he thought were pink cheeks in the moonlight and a shy smile. 

                “Right back at you, Detective Williams.” Steve pressed his forehead into Danny’s chest and took a deep breath.  Danny swore he felt him shudder, “Shit Danny, you’ve always been good with words, I just didn’t realize that mouth could do what it just did.” 

Propping himself up on his elbows to see Steve better he looked his partner in the eye, “You’ve got no idea what this mouth is capable of.” 


End file.
